Zvir
GPS: S 22° 36.489'
E 113° 37.661'
Location: Norwegian Bay
Site depth: 10 metres
Divable conditions: <1.0 metre swell
Visibilty: 15 metres +
Vessel: Steamer, Freighter
Construction: Steel
Tons: 2,100 tons
Vessel length: 100 metres
Wreck event: Wrecked on reef, 1902
The 100 metre, 3353 ton screw steamer went aground on the 27th of November while en route to Adelaide from Java carrying a cargo of sugar. Upon striking the reef, with the cargo ruined and the vessel wrecked, the crew abandoned the ship and walked to Carnarvon leaving the Zvir behind at the mercy of the Indian Ocean swell.
The 120 metre wreck site makes an excellent dive in low swell. It lays inside a sanctuary zone at around 10 metres depth. The bow faces out to sea and is surrounded by large coral bommies teeming with life. From the bow towards the north east lay huge sections of deck plating and numerous deck winches before reaching the massive two cylinder steam engine, three boilers and a spare propeller that was carried on board. Further on, following the 40 metres of propellor shaft and hull lays the still upright rudder and four bladed propellor at the stern of the wreck.
