Oro Verde Wreck Dive Grand Cayman
Max Depth 50ft.
Water Temp 86 degrees.
11.7.2012
The GoPro I borrowed was having software issues; so I was only able to get a few minutes from this dive. The first dive was deleted unfortunately.
Oro Verde Wreck
Affectionately referred to as the Wreck of the Wreck of the Wreck of the Oro Verde originally a transport vessel for fruit from Central America to Florida this ship met its end as a transit vessel in the North Sound of Grand Cayman and was originally sunk as a deep wreck on the West wall. Hurricane Gilbert picked her up and rolled her up against the reef where she sits today -- mostly in pieces. You can get a great look at her boilers, props and deck plates scattered on the sand flats making a great home for an abundance of fish life! Great for beginners and experienced divers alike.
Scuba Diving Oro Verde Wreck Grand Cayman
Paradise Reef (AKA) Oro Verde was an 84 foot, steel cargo vessel which was towed and sunk on May 31, 1980. The wreck lies at 50 feet of water, all levels of divers can enjoy.
Music:
Oro Verde wreck, Grand Cayman
The Oro Verde was once the 171-foot long USS Palm Beach, that went into private hands after she was decommisioned as a spy vessel. She ended her life as a banana transport ship with a side in marijuana smuggling, and she grounded on a Grand Cayman reef in 1976.
Four years later, she was towed off the reef and sunk in a sandy area. Since 1980, various hurricanes moved her back towards the reef and bashed her to pieces on it. She's now a scattered debris field alongside a beautiful section of reef, and a really nice, varied dive. Oh, and someone put some bicycles down there too, because it seemed like a good idea at the time?
4 Oro Verde Wreck Grand Cayman
Oro Verde Wreck Grand Cayman
Shot with Paralenz Camera @ 2.7k 60fps FW 1.42
Diving the Wreck of the Oro Verde, Grand Cayman, Cayman Islands
(NOTE: Shot with a GoPro Hero2 HD camera at a depth between 40 and 50 feet.)
The Oro Verde was an 84 foot, steel cargo vessel which was towed and sunk on May 31, 1980, by the Caymanian government. This was done in a joint effort with dive operators. When the ship was originally sunk, she was completely intact and lay on her starboard side. Today, years later, much of her upper structure has given into the elements of time and collapsed. Her bow section is slightly tilted towards her starboard side, and the deck winch and hand railings are still in place [, which you can see near the beginning of this video]. Since this wreck lies in 50 feet of water, there is more than sufficient bottom time for exploration and photography. Divers of all experience levels can enjoy the wreck of the Oro Verde. -- From The Cayman Islands Shipwreck Expo Directory
Diving the wreck of the Oro Verde, Grand Cayman.
A good part of our dive on the Oro Verde 4/17/15 with Neptune's Divers Cayman. Look out for the nurse shark, Finn, during the second half.
Go Pro 3+ Black with Backscatter Flip 3.1 Dive filter. 1080p 30fps Wide.
Grand Cayman; Oro Verde Wreck
Diving Oro Verde Wreck, Cayman Islands
Diving the Oro Verde Wreck off the coast of Grand Cayman. The ship was sunk here on purpose. Hurricanes destroyed it - what remains is only a wreck of a wreck. And a lot of fish, of course. E.g. a pair of angelfish.
Oro Verde shipwreck Grand Cayman Island (PART 1)
Scuba diving in the Grand Cayman Islands
Scuba Diving on the Oro Verde Wreck and Wildlife Reef (Grand Cayman)
A two tank dive; first on the wreck of the Oro Verde and then on Wildlife Reef, off Grand Cayman, Caribbean.
The Oro Verde, which means “green gold,” was originally a U.S. Army transport ship. After conversion to an environmental research vessel, the ship was next reborn as a banana boat. It spent 10 years hauling bananas between Ecuador and Miami. The boat acquired its current name during its banana-hauling days. Rumors flew that the ship’s cargo included substantial quantities of marijuana in addition to bananas. The Oro Verde eventually ran aground in 1976 on the reef surrounding Grand Cayman, allegedly due to mutiny by the crew, who wanted part of the illicit profits. The ship sat on the reef until 1980, when the local dive community adopted the wreck. It was moved into shallower water and purpose-sunk, now functioning as an artificial reef in 60 feet (18 m) off Seven Mile Beach.
Wildlife Reef is a shallow reef named more for what you might see here than anything on shore. Part of the Seven Mile stretch that is considered a juvenile fish nursery, this large coral finger reaches all the way out to the main reef wall and is an entire dive in itself. Average depth: 40 feet.
Special thanks to deepbluediverscayman.com for being excellent guides.
Shot on GoPro Hero 4 Silver (1080p / 30 fps).
Music: Astray feat. Madi Larson by A Himitsu
Creative Commons — Attribution 3.0 Unported— CC BY 3.0
Music promoted by Audio Library
TAR Cayman Islands Oro Verde Wreck Dive Part 2 04162013
Diving the Oro Verde Wreck - Grand Cayman
Originally named the Colonel Armond Peterson, then the USS Palm Beach, and finally the Oro Verde (or Green Gold). Oro Verde was built for the US Army Transportation Corps and later used by the US Air Force. Its name is derived from its use in hauling bananas to Miami after serving in Central America. She was sunk in 1980, and years of erosion and hurricanes have since smashed the ship to pieces.
Oro Verde, Grand Cayman Islands
Big Dipper and Oro Verde - Grand Cayman Islands
Diving the wreck of the Oro Verde Grand Cayman
Corbin and Roger dive off Seven Mile beach at the scuttled Oro Verde wreck; sea turtles, angle fish etc..
Stian and Karoline dive at the wreck ORO Verde Grand Cayman island
Stian and Karoline dive at the wreck Uno Verde Grand Cayman island
Oro Verde 1986 Grand Cayman
With Michael on our honeymoon in May 1986. The Oro Verde wreck was intact. It has since been bashed to pieces by storms. We had the videographer use the music of one of our favorite bands.
Oro Verde - Grand Cayman
The captain was making good money on this banana boat buy smuggling green gold! when the crew found out and the captain wouldn't cut the crew in, they tossed the captain overboard and then proceeded to crash the boat. Lot's of schooling fish on this dive. And a cool sighting of a handful of Yellowhead Jawfish!
TAR Cayman Islands Oro Verde Wreck Dive Part 1 04162013
Oro Verde Reef Wreck - Grand Cayman January 2017
SCUBA Diving the Oro Verde (Green Gold) Shipwreck - Grand Cayman Island - GoPro HD - Sept 23rd, 2016