Pirapama

The hull is probably that of the steamer Pirapama, an iron-hulled ship bought in England by the Companhia Pernambucana de Navegação Costeira por Vapor, which entered service in 1867, measuring 60 m and with a crew of 34. That steamer was the third ship from Pernambuco to bear the name. No precise official records of the cause of the wreck have been found, and since most of its parts and fittings were removed, the ship was possibly sunk on purpose.

The hull keeps its line with the bow pointing towards Recife; amidships lie the oscillating engines, with two large cylinders, and beside them rest the shafts and the hubs of the paddle wheels. The stern tower, which had stayed almost intact for a long time, was lost: after a stormy day, divers found the stern destroyed. Corals and sponges cover the hull, which gathers schools of tropical fish, turtles and lobsters.

In the late afternoon, sea turtles seek out the hull to sleep, sometimes up to 20 at a time. The wreck is home to more than 140 fish species and is sought out for night dives, when dozens of turtles can be found. Thousands of colourful fish surround the wreckage, with many rays and turtles, as well as moray eels. Sharks, schools of various species and, occasionally, dolphins may also appear, and pufferfish, boxfish, lobsters and octopus are among the common sightings. On a night dive in November 2022, rays, many lobsters, a moray eel and an octopus were seen. The water tends to be warm from October to May, and in the Recife area the sea tends to be calmer from September to December.