Scuba Diving in Wrecks of the Hispanic - Cuban and North American War of 1898. "DESTROYER FUROR".

• Duration: 2 hrs
• Departure time: 09.00 hrs
• Tour guide: Yes
• Children are allowed: No
• Languages spoken: Spanish and English

Scuba Diving in Wrecks of the Hispanic - Cuban and North American War of 1898. "DESTROYER FUROR".

Archaeological Park of the Natural and Cultural Underwater Heritage Battle of Santiago de Cuba Declared a National Monument in 2015.

General Description

One of the groups of the Subaquatic Natural and Cultural Heritage with the greatest historical significance in the country is the Archaeological Park of the Subaquatic Natural and Cultural Heritage Battle of Santiago de Cuba, declared a National Monument in 2015.

It is a true privilege to enjoy today the immersions in these wrecks of the 19th century in front of the Sierra Maestra mountain range, in warm, transparent waters, in an environment of spectacular beauty and with a name as suggestive as the Caribbean Sea.

The place is made up of seven archaeological sites (Playa Siboney, Las Cuatro Bocas, Playa Mar Verde, Rancho Cruz - Buey Cabón, Ensenada de Juan González, Aserradero and Playa La Mula), where the wrecks of five Spanish and two North American ships linked to the conflict lie, and objects belonging to the ships, including masts, ironwork, part of the artillery and projectiles.

It covers a territorial extension of some 64,824 nautical miles, equivalent to some 120,051 km along the coast from Siboney beach, belonging to the municipality of Santiago de Cuba, to "La Mula" beach, referring to the municipality of Guamá.

The area of the coastal strip of the province of Santiago de Cuba was the scene of one of the most transcendental naval events in the history of mankind. This naval battle, which culminated in the sinking of the fleet of Vice Admiral Pascual Cervera y Topete, put an end to Spanish colonial rule in America.

These sites are must-see for researchers, archaeologists, divers and tourists in general, not only because of their great historical value, but also because of the spectacularly beautiful surroundings where they have been found for more than a century of rest and biological activity, creating special ecosystems where the sessile fauna and marine flora have merged with the wrecks.

It is a privilege to know the universal history through these wrecks, witnesses of the events of this Naval War, undoubtedly a treasure of the Underwater Cultural Heritage, which is part not only of the History of Cuba, but of the Universal one.

ARCHAEOLOGICAL SITE: "MAR VERDE BEACH". Shipwreck: "Furor" destroyer

• Site: Mar Verde Village, west of the city of Santiago de Cuba.
• The remains of the Torpedo "Furor" are located at 19 ° 57,644 N and 75 ° 56,556 W, at a distance of 540 meters from the coast, south of the west shore of the Mar Verde beach. At a depth of 22 meters, near a ridge that extends into an isobath between 23 and 27 meters.

Historical Background

• The "Furor" Destroyer was built at the Clydebank Engineering & Shipbuilding Co. shipyard in the United Kingdom. It was launched in April 1896, completing its machines and weapons in November of the same year.

• The "Furor", a destroyer type, was one of six mass-produced ships with the same technical characteristics. It was part of the "First Squadron" of the Spanish Navy, commanded by Vice Admiral Pascual Cervera y Topete. With a speed, capable of reaching 28 knots, it allowed these ships to pursue and hunt any torpedo boat of the time.

• The "Furor" class ships only reached 380 tons, but they possessed strong weapons, capable of destroying any enemy torpedo boat. Their main line of artillery consisted of two semi-automatic Nordenfelt 75 mm guns, one forward and one backward; two Nordenfelt 57 mm guns, one on each side; two Maxim machine guns, as well as two 350 mm torpedo tubes. The disadvantage is that any impact of an average calibre on their hulls could completely eliminate them from the battle.

TECHNICAL CHARACTERISTICS OF THE "Furor" BOAT

• Name of the shipwreck: "Furor".
• Class: Furor.
• Type of ship: destroyers.
• Flag: Spain.
• Date of commissioning: 21 February 1896.
• Shipyard: Clydebank Engineering & Shipbuilding Co., United Kingdom.
• Launch date: April 1897, completed 21 November 1896.
• Commander: Captain "Fernando Villaamil Fernández-Cueto" - (1845-1898)
• Length: 69.79 meters.
• Maximum speed: 28 knots.
• Beam: 6.80 metres.
• Strut: 4.20 metres.
• Draft: 3.00 metres.
• Displacement: 380 tons.
• Crew members: 65 men.
• Range at low power: 1000 miles (nautical).
• Rudder: stern, blade out of transom with axle heading to deck, powered by a servo motor.
• Shielding: No.
• Shielding: No, unarmored steel decks.
• Decks: Running, with a small bridge about 15 m from the bow, with wind turbines distributed along its length, with two 75 mm "Nordenfelt" guns at the bow and at the stern in rotating axial trusses. Two davits on both sides in the first third of the boat. Handrails of cables along the whole row, from bow to stern, wooded with pipes screwed to the deck.
• Type of machinery: 2 triple expansion steam engines.
• Power: 4000 - 7000 HP with forced draught.
• Boilers: 4 "Normand" boilers.
• Propulsion: 2 propellers
• Barbets: no.
• Type of feeding: Charcoal - 96 tons.
• Masts: 1 mast with davit at a height of 30 m from the stem in its bay.
• Large calibre artillery: 2 pieces.
• Maxims machine guns: 2 pieces.
• Torpedo launchers: 2 locations (on deck).

Details of the excursion

• Diving services included: Basic diving equipment, Air tank, Weight belt.
• You will have an internationally certified instructor-guide, and he will give you an informative briefing about the dive to be done.
• Boat that takes you from the diving center to the diving points (in principle, the dives that leave from the marina of Punta Gorda will be done by diving boat).

Diving center: Marina Marlin Punta Gorda.

Frequency: 2 daily departures

Departure capacity: in 10 pax.

Distance to be covered during the trip (round trip): 30 km approximately.

Degree of difficulty: Low.

Approximate duration of the tour (total): 1.30 hours approximately.

VERY IMPORTANT NOTES:

• For reasons of safety and protection of underwater heritage, clients should never directly touch the wreckage and should strictly follow the instructions given by the diving instructors.
• It is mandatory for customers to present their official diving certification.

TIPS: • We recommend that the client can bring their own diving mask. • Recommended: light clothing, swimsuit, towels, sunglasses, hat, sunscreen and photographic camera. • The client can bring his complete diving equipment if he wants to. • We recommend that the client can bring his/her personal dive computer. • We recommend that the client can bring one or more bottles of mineral water to stay hydrated as well as light foods rich in protein or fruit.