H.M.S. Proselyte dive site

Overview

Description

Story of the wreck: HMS Proselyte was a 32-gun Royal Navy frigate. She was the former Dutch 36-gun frigate Jason, built in 1770 at Rotterdam, the Netherlands. Her crew mutinied and turned her over to the British in 1796. She then served the Royal Navy until she was wrecked in 1801. While under the temporary command of Lieutenant Henry Whitby, Proselyte was wrecked on 4 September 1801 on her way from St. Kitts into port at St. Martin when she struck the "Man of War Shoal" in view of Philipsburg. Fortunately, boats from Philipsburg saved all the crew. Whitby was found guilty of negligence in a court martial for not heeding the warning about the danger of the reef; sentenced him to a reduction in rank. Also dismissed, Luke Winter, left in charge of the navigation and ignored the local standing orders, which specified where the shoal was, and the bearings vessels were to follow when entering port. Look out for the cannons and 4 anchors around the shoal!

Location 17.98960, -63.05874Get Directions

Useful training for this sitePADI Open Water Diver, PADI Advanced Open Water Diver, Adaptive Support Diver, Aware Shark Conservation Diver, Delayed Surface Marker Buoy (DSMB) Diver, Dive Against Debris, Full Face Mask Diver, Self-Reliant Diver, PADI Underwater Navigator, PADI Boat Diver, PADI Drift Diver, PADI Peak Performance Buoyancy, PADI Night Diver, PADI Underwater Photographer, PADI Underwater Videographer, PADI Underwater Naturalist, PADI Fish Identification, PADI Aware, PADI Coral Reef Conservation Diver, PADI Freediver, PADI Discover Local Diving

Dive Types

Reef, Ocean

Suggested Equipment

Camera, Dive computer, Dive Flag, Dive skin, Rash guard, Shorty, Surface Marker Buoy, Torch, Wetsuit

Entry

Boat

Common SightingsTrumpetfish / pipefish, Barracuda, Grouper, Parrot fish, Snapper, Fish, Butterflyfish, Angelfish, Parrotfish, Surgeonfish, Boxfish / pufferfish, Scorpionfish, Lionfish, Goatfish, Eagle ray, Sharks, Rays, Turtle, Sea turtle, Eels, Sea urchin, Sea cucumber, Moray eel, Squid, Shrimp, Octopus, Lobster, Nudibranch, Crab, Brain coral, Sea anemone, Gorgonian fan, Coral, Reef Fish

Water Type

Salt

Maximum Depth 17 feet / 5 meters

Entry

BoatShore/Beach

Common SightingsSharks, Whales, Dolphins, Turtles

Water Type

Salt

Maximum Depth 17 feet / 5 meters

Sources: This page wouldn't be possible without contributions from the following PADI members: The Scuba Shop SXM. Disclaimer

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