Witconcrete - 115m wreck the newest dive attraction in Belize

On Belize, in the waters of the Caribbean Sea, a new attraction for divers has appeared. It is the 115m long Witconcrete wreck.

It is not unusual for somewhere in the world to appear new artificial reef. It is, after all, a proven idea for developing marine life and attracting diving tourists. It must be admitted, however, that sinking a ship measuring 115 m in length does not happen every day. Meanwhile, this is exactly the size of the Witconcrete vessel, the wreck of which rested off the coast of Belize.

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Unit history

The ship Witconcrete was built in 1942-44 and measured 115m long and 56m wide. It was used as a floating dockyard to transport supplies. During the Second World War it operated along the coast of the Gulf of Mexico and the east coast of the United States.

In its final years of operation, the ship was used to store molasses by Belize Sugar Industries Ltd. However, everything comes to an end one day and an end has also come to Witconcrete. At least in the surface variant, for the chapter when it will serve as an artificial reef has only just begun.

New location

The wreck is located in the Soldier Caye protected area of the Turneffe Atoll Marine Reserve. Over the years, Witconcrete will become home to countless corals and other marine wildlife. It will also be a unique dive site in Belize’s underwater scenery. After all, how often do we have the opportunity to dive on the wreck of such a large vessel, which starts at a depth of only 15 m ?

It must be said that this is another strong argument for choosing Belize for a diving holiday. The country is home to three of the four atolls in the western hemisphere and the second largest coral reef belt in the world. Simply put – Belize is a real paradise for divers.

For the whole project Witconcrete sinks the combined forces are responsible Turneffe Atoll Sustainability Association (TASA), in cooperation with Blackbird Caye Resort i Blue Finance.

Photo: Beth Watson