This is an authorized translation in English of a post in French by @marc-allaria: LA LONGUE ROUTE DE MAESHA • Le Cordeca !

^{As my primary language is not English, there are probably some mistakes in my translation.}

Remember that the person who speaks here is NOT me, Vincent Celier (@vcelier), but Marc Allaria (@marc-allaria), a French guy.

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PORTO SANTO - The Cordeca

While very often in France, the idea of sinking a wrecked ship voluntarily poses many ethical problems, elsewhere, the operation is very often implemented in order to create artificial reefs and thus increasing the tourism economy. This is how the Cordeca, a former military corvette, was sunk off the port of Porto Santo. Where there was a stretch of sand for kilometers offering no shelter to the underwater fauna, many species found refuge there and a real food chain developed in just a few years.

Again, here, it's not easy to proceed freely. The wreck being in a marine reserve, the passage required by a website issuing an authorization registered in two languages whose translations do not correspond, worse, contradict each other, is compulsory to be able to hope to dive quietly in the sea! I have already gone too far on the subject, but obviously I still cannot understand it! The wreckage is oriented East-West with one buoy attached to the stern and a second one to the bow. Access is therefore well identified and facilitated by descents and climbs along ropes. There is current in this area quite far from the coast, so caution is advised.

The water is particularly clear. Almost all of the wreckage is visible from the surface. The first thing that surprises you is the remarkable state of the wreck. You would think it would have been sunk the day before. It must be said that here, the coral is almost nonexistent, very low on the supports, and almost no soft coral trees exist. There are therefore very few concretions attached to the hull. Two guns are located at the front and at the rear. Large schools of sparids and dreamfish find refuge depending on the current. Some barracudas revolve around the highest parts of the ship. It is possible to enter it. Really gorgeous. I spent several dives there in order to create a panoramic photograph made up of 72 photographs assembled. A colossal job of several dives and a significant number of hours of IT.

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