This time it is to be the Pangani which is even further off shore and in right at the end of the shipping lanes so we can expect company on deco.

The Pangani was a very large sailing ship that sunk as the result of a collision. She rises in places fourteen metres from the seabed and is broken in two forming a dogleg. Absolutely stuffed with pottery, when the vis is good in this area, and it often is, she is a stunning dive.

The Pangani is a 3000 ton, four masted steel barque which was built in 1902 at the J C Tecklenborg shipyard in Bremerhaven (Geestemunde) for the Laeisz fleet. She sailed on the South American Nitrate routes, sinking on 18th January 1913 on voyage from Antwerp to Chile when in collision with the steamer Phryne off Le Cap de La Hague. Only 4 of the 34 crew survived. Her Captain at the time was F.Junge. She now lies in approximately 65 metres of water and lies upright. Cargo consists of much glassware, crockery and stone quairnes for grinding corn.

I’m diving with Andy again and we jump in whilst there is still some current on the wreck as we are planning a slightly longer bottom time than the other team. Given the proximity to the shipping lane in what is the busiest sea lane in the world we are to time all teams exit from the wreck to coincide. 

We descend quickly and soon come on the wreck. Viz is not as good as the day before alhtough it is probably still at least 8 metres and we are on a deep bit of the wreck with not much relief above 66 metres. Pottery lies everywhere and I see a few pieces which I consider picking up but I have my mind on other things. 

Andy’s video lights mean seeing the green glow above the wreck is impossible and as I know that the wreck is broken in half, and I can see from the hull shape that we are inside, I am concerned that we are not being carried by the current into an overhead. We are not, but I keep checking.

The current never eases on this dive but turns eventually and both of us get carried along at a fair rate. We see Bob and Greg a couple of times having a good rumage around – they get some nice stuff and then see them thumb the dive just as we prepare to do the same. I love it when a plan comes together 

We’ve done half an hour so there is an hour of deco to do – and it is not very pleasant as the current picks up our empty bottom stages and spins us around on deco. No playing this time, just sit it out and keep safe. Good dive – not convinced I’d go back but I enjoyed it nevertheless and it made a great end to what had been a very fun weekend.


Plate from the Pangani - courtesy of Greg