|
The Wreck of the L’Hermine
 Bermuda
|
Max Depth: 26-30ft/8-9m
Average Viz: 51-60ft/16-18m
Entry Type: Boat
Bottom Composition: Sand
Aquatic Life: Big Animals
|
|
|
|
|
The Wreck of the L’Hermine is a boat accessible salt water dive site, located in Bermuda. The maximum depth is 26-30ft/8-9m. The average visibility is 51-60ft/16-18m.
1838 - French Frigate
Stamp Bermuda’s most impressive warship wreck has to be L’Herminie, a 60 gun French Warship-of-the-line that sank in 1838. This three masted, wooden hulled sailing vessel was returning to France from Havana, Cuba. She wrecked on December 3rd 1838. Near Chub Heads, which is to the west north west of the island. She had a crew of 495, including the officers. She was a massive ship to be made entirely from wood and is certainly the largest wooden wreck in Bermuda.
In her day, she was the prize of the French Navy and importance would have been the equivalent of a modern day aircraft carrier. She was near Bermuda, when she got becalmed and drifted onto the reef. Without wind, the crew were unable to sail, thus could not steer the boat. All survived the wreck and due to Bermuda’s links with Britain, the French crew were imprisoned and put to work building roads at The Dockyard, were they all caught Yellow Fever and soon died.
Due to the Yellow Fever, people were hesitant to salvage the wreck and so she sank with hundreds of different artifacts on board, making it probably the most fascinating wreck in Bermuda, from an archaeological viewpoint. There are still 59 cannons remaining. The wreck itself is in 30 feet of water and has mostly rotted, leaving only the metal artifacts to see. There is however, a large wooden keel, which gives some indication of how immense L’Herminie was.
Wreck Certificate
L’Herminie is one of the wreck sites featured in the Bermuda Shipwreck Certificate Program
Divemasters Notes
The visibility at L’Herminie averages about 50 feet in the summer and 80 feet in the winter. The site covers a vast area and as result there is an awful lot to see, and only very little time to see it. Any divers new to the wreck would definitely benefit from an experienced local guide. This would allow the entire site to be covered and everything seen. The ship is divided into three main areas of interest, the armoury, the crossed cannons and the galley.
At the armoury, you will find one of the ship’s massive anchors, to see the anchor is worth the trip even though it’s a little off the track. An 18 feet tall mammoth of an anchor is totally encrusted in coral. Only a close inspection reveals the flukes and a gigantic shackle. Additional items of interest to be found in the armoury are the bulk of her 60 cannons, numerous encrusted flints for muskets and hundreds of musket balls, nails and fragments of metal which would have been used as grapeshot for clearing enemy ships decks of crew.
At the crossed cannons, there are several cannons, including the aforementioned crossed cannons. These make excellent photographic subjects. What’s more they don’t move!!!! You should also find the capstan used for hauling the anchor. On most ships the sailors would have done this by hand, but the anchors on L’Herminie were so big it was necessary to have the donkey work actually done by two donkeys.
The galley section has the large keel with some massive brass spikes still visible. The large metal canisters that you will find here would have been used to hold fresh water for cooking and drinking.. You should also see the circular, terra cotta, brick ovens.
REMEMBER.... THE REEF IS FRAGILE! PLEASE DO NOT TOUCH OR TREAD ON LIVING CORAL.