Million Hope - Sunk for a decade
Posted By Mark Jones on 24 July 2006
Diving the Hope was a relaxing affair since it had sunk so quickly it was largely structurally intact. The only real damage, apart from that caused by the fire, was the buckled & ripped hull plating that resulted from hitting the reef at such speed. The rent in the hull plating became the perfect entrance into one of main holds when diving the wreck. Normally, the dive would begin on the seaward side of the wreck near the stern, allowing the divers to drop down the side of the wreck and slowly drift down to the huge propeller at 24m. Then skirting around the stern along the starboard side of the Hope in the narrow channel between the wreck and the reef at about 17m until coming across the massive hole in the buckled hull plating and passing through it into the hold itself. Once in the hold it was a slow ascent up to around 9m to drift along the decking towards the accommodation block. A short swim inside the block passing through three very open cabins allowed the group to exit via a set of stairs on the main causeway and up onto the aft deck. The back deck is probably the most scenic part of the dive with the coral encrusted winches and moorings bathed in direct sunlight only 5m from the surface. With the gentle rocking of the slight swell and the shoals of fusiliers, many photographers have been captivated at this spot.
Sadly, as the Hope approaches its tenth year as a wreck the story is very different. The rough seas that have protected the wreck from over diving have largely destroyed the superstructure. The decking on the seaward side of the buckled hold has begun to collapse in upon itself and one of the cranes that stood majestically above the water has now snapped off and its wreckage is now strewn throughout that hold making it hazardous to dive. Probably the most disappointing damage has occurred to the main accommodation block, which sheared off and collapsed in upon itself. This wreckage has blocked off much of the routes for penetration including those into the engine room.
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