There's something so visually stunning about underwater shipwrecks, as these photos will prove. Not to mention, they house billions worth of sunken treasure.
There is something so visually stunning about shipwrecks. Whether they're fully submerged beneath the ocean or part of them peeks out above the water, these mighty vessels that have been claimed by the sea serve as visual timestamps. Not to mention, each one carries a fascinating history. Unfortunately, the stories behind some of the wrecks get lost with time. But even more wild than their beauty is the fact that only 20 percent of the ocean has been explored, which means approximately 80 percent of the world's sea has yet to be seen. Who knows what other shipwrecks are out there waiting to be discovered, or how many there even truly are. Luckily, you don't need a scuba certification to check out these underwater shipwrecks. And trust us, a few of these are so mind-boggling that you'll have to give them a moment to fully sink in (pun intended).
Advertisement - Continue Reading Below
1
Eric Volto//Getty Images
Someone better call Disney because this stunning old shipwreck located on an undisclosed seabed looks like a set piece from Pirates of the Caribbean.
Advertisement - Continue Reading Below
2
Boy_Anupong//Getty Images
The wreckage of the S.S. Speke, one of the largest sailing ships of its time, struck a reef in 1906. Here, the remains that rest on the shore of Phillip Island (Australia) are captured during sunset.
Advertisement - Continue Reading Below
3
Meaghan Skinner Photography//Getty Images
Lining the picturesque shores of Moreton Island rests a ship graveyard containing the rusted remains of 15 sunken vessels that went under between 1963 - 1984. The Queensland government gathered the collection of ships, and it's now a very popular tourist destination.
Advertisement - Continue Reading Below
4
EXTREME-PHOTOGRAPHER//Getty Images
Similar to this this massive wreckage located on the bed of the Red Sea, there are an estimated three million shipwrecks in the ocean.
Advertisement - Continue Reading Below
5
Ralph White//Getty Images
The Titanic is arguably the most recognizable shipwreck in the world – with the bow of the wreckage serving as one of the most iconic wreck images in history. The passenger liner, the largest of its time, hit an iceberg and sank in the Northern Atlantic during the early morning hours on April 15, 1912. A French-American expedition didn't discover the wreck until September 1985.
Advertisement - Continue Reading Below
6
Amith Nag Photography//Getty Images
While discovering sunken treasure in a shipwreck seems like a fantasy pipe dream, it's actually a very real possibility. There is an estimated $60 billion (!) worth of sunken riches that has yet to be claimed. So why hasn't anyone gotten to it yet? For starters, the costs of going to certain depths of the sea are wildly expensive and time-consuming.
Advertisement - Continue Reading Below
7
Simon Strupath / EyeEm//Getty Images
Trees grow atop this sunken vessel, which rests not far off the coast of Homebush, Australia.
Advertisement - Continue Reading Below
8
Wight Landscapes//Getty Images
A thin layer of fog gives the illusion that this wreckage is floating above the clouds.
Advertisement - Continue Reading Below
9
Sebastian Galli / EyeEm//Getty Images
Depending on the build of the ship, it could take well over a century for the entire vessel to corrode and ultimately deteriorate.
Advertisement - Continue Reading Below
10
EXTREME-PHOTOGRAPHER//Getty Images
A diver overlooks the USS Kittiwake, a submarine rescue vessel (ASR-13) that was part of the 6th Submarine squadron. The wartime submarine sank off the northern coast of Grand Cayman's Seven Mile Beach.
Advertisement - Continue Reading Below
11
Paul Cowell / EyeEm//Getty Images
Coral and corrosion work in tandem to create a beautiful rainbow coating on this rusted underwater wreckage.
Advertisement - Continue Reading Below
12
ultramarinfoto//Getty Images
What was probably once a bustling ship deck is now mostly inhabited by clownfish, crustaceans, and corrosion.
Advertisement - Continue Reading Below
13
Abstract Aerial Art//Getty Images
An aerial view captures a red kayak floating on the water above a shipwreck in Carlisle Bay, Barbados. There are six wrecks located in the Carlisle Bay region, all of which went under at different times.