Newest wreck on Maui

[kidspot]

While cruising to our viewing area on Reefdancer November 1st (Glass bottom boat I work on) we started seeing a lot of debris on the surface, then we smelled fuel and saw a fuel slick on the surface - we motored over to the area to discover that the Islander II had sunk October 31'st. No details as to how/why it sank, but it's sitting tied to it's mooring in about 35fsw. At the moment it's become part of our underwater tour, and while as a diver I love seeing a new wreck to dive on, I hope the owners are able to salvage this beautiful fishing boat before it gets torn apart from the underwater surge that is slowly breaking it up.

Sorry I don't have pictures yet, it's location is right next to the mastless catamaran moored off Lahaina harbor at the north end of all the moored boats.

Anyone have the story behind it's sinking?

Odd thing is this is the second boat to go down on Halloween night off Lahaina in recent years. The other one is our landmark shipwreck just off the shore of the harbor entrance which sank Halloween night 2003.

Aloha, Tim

 

[DiveMaven]

Would it be normal to leave a boat sunk for so long? I hope it stops leaking gas/oil....

 

[kidspot]

The fuel leak is diminishing - first day you could smell it 1/4 mile away, now you have to be right on top of it. The state currently leaves any boat in place if it is not considered a navagational hazard. I'm sure the Islander II will be moved as it's in a bad place for a wreck. Now if it were a little further north and a wee bit deeper

 

[KrisB]

I'm sure if anybody bothers moving it, it will be removed.

I'm curious as to the charges levied against the owners for the environmental impact.

 

[DiveMaven]

Yeah it's definitely too bad it isn't in a better spot...would have been fun to have another wreck dive on Maui. I'm looking forward to my first Carthaginian dive next month.