Darlington

History

The Darlington was a sturdy iron steamer launched in 1881 at the Swan & Hunter yard on the Tyne, driven by a 250-horsepower compound engine. Five years later she was crossing from New Orleans to Bremen with a full hold of cotton bales and grain when her course carried her close to Bermuda's western reefs.

On 22 February 1886 she ran hard onto the Western Reef. Attempts to pull her off failed and she was given up as a wreck. All five officers and 23 crew got off safely. A Marine Board of Inquiry later found her master, Captain Richard Ward, negligent for failing to post a lookout while navigating waters he did not know.

The wreck is one of the Bermuda Government's open, buoyed dive sites and lies inside a year-round no-fishing zone.

Diving the wreck today

One of the shallowest and easiest wreck dives in Bermuda, and good for snorkellers in calm weather. The hull has collapsed in on itself and lies on its port side in 16-30 ft of water. Her two big boilers come to within inches of the surface and can break it at low tide; the propeller shaft, deck winches, rudder and propeller are all still recognisable, with fire coral on the rudder quadrant and propeller (do not touch).

Because the site is at the far western edge of the reef platform it is often in the lee of the prevailing winds and is used as a rough-weather dive. Look into the hollow mast for slipper lobsters and sea hares.