There are few things more fascinating, tragic and eerie than a shipwreck. Whether purposefully sunk for scuba diving exploits or the devastating result of freak weather conditions, we’ve taken a look at some of the world’s most spectacular shipwrecks, as well as how you can visit them.

Built in 1975, the fishing vessel trawler MV Dayspring once brought mackerel and herring to the shores of the Scottish Highlands. Last launched in the early 2000s, she had been safely moored for over a decade when she ran aground during a storm on 8 December 2011.

Now, photographers come from around the world to photograph what has become known as the Corpach Wreck, which can be captured with the highest mountain in Britain, Ben Nevis, in the background. See our feature about what else to see in the Scottish Highlands and Islands here. 

From elephant seals to a magnificent lighthouse, there's lots to see at Point Reyes National Seashore in northern California. In addition to the 1,500 species of plants and animals in the 70,000-acre park there is also the S.S. Point Reyes, a fabulously photogenic shipwreck, one of many along this coast of treacherous rocks.

Located in the Tomales Bay, this is another shipwreck that's beloved by photographers with the best shots taken during low tide. But its popularity also means it's under threat – in 2016 a fire damaged the rear of the ship and the exterior and interior have been graffitied. 

The SS Maheno was built in 1905 and was one of the first turbine-driven steamers, taking a regular route between Sydney and Auckland. When the First World War broke out, the ship was converted into a hospital ship in Europe. Years later in 1935, SS Maheno was heading for a Japanese wrecking yard when a cyclone caused her to meet her untimely end.

The hull is now the most famous of all the wrecks on Queensland’s Fraser Island and is a must-visit spot for the many backpackers that travel up and down Australia’s East Coast. Although the wreck is slowly deteriorating due to the island’s salty environment, its mainly intact skeleton is fascinating to visit. Fraser Island can be easily reached on a 50-minute ferry from the Fraser Coast.

If you’re fascinated by shipwrecks, head to Ontario’s Tobermory. It's home to more than 25 shipwrecks that can be explored on diving or snorkeling tours, or aboard a local glass-bottom boat. The best known is Sweepstakes, a 119-foot schooner that sank in shallow water in 1885 after hitting a rock.

Sweepstakes remained there for a couple of weeks before being towed into the harbor. After the schooner was examined and found to be beyond repair, she was stripped of all her useful rigging and equipment. Her hull, windlass and part of the original bow rail are all still intact. You can view this piece of history for yourself by driving four hours from Toronto to Tobermory, Sweepstakes’ final resting place.

The Kodiak Queen is an example of how exciting ships can be when they combine history with the future. One of only five ships to survive the attack on Pearl Harbor, the ship was purposefully sunk in the spring of 2017 in the British Virgin Islands to become a man-made scuba site, marine ecosystem and underwater art installation.

The historic naval ship, along with its art sculpture dive site, is one of entrepreneur Richard Branson’s ventures. The sunken art gallery will not only inspire divers with eye-catching artworks, but the sculptures will also become a coral reef and rehabilitation site for the marine population.

It’s often storms that end a ship’s life but, in this case, a storm gave an old shipwreck another lease of life. When Hurricane Sandy hit the US in 2012, the storm also unearthed the skeleton of the Bessie White, a Canadian coal schooner that went aground on Fire Island in the early 20th century.

You can easily visit Bessie White on Fire Island by taking a ferry from Long Island, but how much of the wreck you’ll see will depend on the weather. The whims of the wind, waves and sand determine how much of the hull is visible.

The MV Panagiotis, on the coast of Zakynthos in Greece, is a major tourist attraction, not just for its well-preserved condition, but also for its idyllic location on Navagio Beach, or “Shipwreck Beach”.

The ship was built in the 1930s and ran aground in 1980 due to stormy weather. It was suspected of being a smuggling ship so, once the vessel ran aground, the story goes that the crew abandoned her to escape the authorities. You can easily explore the ship for yourself by taking a boat to the beach but be warned, the popularity of the site means there will probably be an abundance of other tourists angling to get photos of the rusting hull too.

One of the most tragic maritime tales of modern times, the Salem Express sank in 1991 in the Red Sea, killing approximately 470 people when strong winds blew the ship into a coral reef, tearing a hole in the hull.

The ship makes for particularly tragic exploring. Personal possessions, such as suitcases and bicycles, still remain underwater. You can dive around this wreck but need to have the proper level of dive certification due to its depths and the possibility of getting tangled in the wreckage. It's also deemed a controversial dive because of the recent nature of the crash and how well the passengers’ possessions have been preserved.

Just one of over 60 spectacular dive sites in Bonaire, the Hilma Hooker makes for memorable wreck exploring. The 236-foot Dutch freighter originally sank in 1975 but was rescued and sold on. There are many tales about what happened to the ship. One is that it was suspected of drug smuggling and found to be carrying a sizeable stash of marijuana behind a false bulkhead.

Eventually, the ship was left unattended. It was used as evidence in the drug smuggling case but nobody was paying for maintenance. In 1984, the ship was moved next to a dive site and five days later began to sink. It’s now part of the Bonaire National Marine Park and a fantastic wreck to explore, next to two coral reefs and easy to access.

The Mary Rose, Henry VIII’s favorite warship, sank in 1545 during the Battle of the Solent. She served 34 years at sea, seeing several historical moments in her lifetime from taking troops to Scotland for the Battle of Flodden to attacking the French fleet at Brest.

The Mary Rose was raised from the seabed in 1982 after years of archaeological work and now lives in the Mary Rose Museum in Portsmouth. More than 19,000 items were recovered from the wreck site including human remains, guns and clothes. The ship can be viewed close up at the museum which allows you to see the ship on three sides.

It’s probably the most famous shipwreck of all time: the RMS Titanic sank in 1912 after hitting an iceberg, killing nearly 2,000 people. The wreckage of the ship was only found in 1985 when it was discovered that the Titanic had split apart before sinking to the seabed.

If you have nearly $132,600 (£100k) spare and you’re keen to see the wreck for yourself, London-based tour operator Blue Marble Private Travel can organize 10-day trips to the shipwreck. You’ll take three-hour dives around the vessel and see glimpses of its former glory such as its grand staircase.

Discover more secrets of the greatest maritime disaster in history here.

Namibia is one of the most spectacular places in the world to view eerie shipwrecks for yourself. Its Skeleton Coast is home to thousands of shipwrecked vessels scattered along the coastline, having failed to navigate the tempestuous seas and angry winds. One of these is the Eduard Bohlen, which is stranded in the middle of the desert, a quarter of a mile from the shoreline.

A former German cargo ship, the vessel ran aground, probably due to thick fog, while it was on its way to Table Bay. Years later, as the desert encroached on the ocean, the ship found its unusual position in the middle of the desert. You can see it for yourself on a flying safari or a guided 4x4 tour from Lüderitz or Walvis Bay.

There are plenty of shipwrecks along the Oregon coastline and the morbidly-named Graveyard of the Pacific, but perhaps the best known is the Peter Iredale. You can find it in the Fort Stevens State Park.

The ship ran aground more than 100 years ago in 1906 due to heavy winds. Its rusted bow and masts are still intact and visible, poking out of the sand. When the tide is low, you can walk right up to the ship and examine it for yourself.

The Pesuta began life as a steam ship before it was converted to a log barge in the early 20th century. After a brutal storm in 1928, it was shipwrecked, ending its life on the picturesque Haida Gwaii archipelago in British Columbia, Canada.

The remains of the Pesuta are a popular tourist attraction, with many people taking a four-hour hike through forests and beaches until they reach the wrecked ship.

Known in Scotland as the “sugar boat”, the MV Captayannis was a Greek sugar-carrying ship that sank in the River Clyde in 1974 after a wild storm.

The brutal storm forced the ship to roll onto her port side and she’s still that way decades later. Plans to blow up the wreckage were abandoned over worries about a nearby bird sanctuary. It’s never been removed and has become a popular attraction for tourists, divers and birds.

The SS Francisco Morazan was built in the 1920s for German owners but was sold to various governments over the years. She was to take her last journey in November 1960 from Chicago to Holland.

Strong winds, fog and heavy snow caused the ship to run aground 300 feet off the southwest shore of South Manitou Island, Michigan. The crew abandoned ship soon after and the vessel has been there ever since, now home to various species of bird. You can hike to view the ship for yourself from the shore or take out a kayak to see it close up.

Now read: From Mayflower to Titanic: the world’s most historic ships you can visit

Once a fishing vessel, the steel ship Garðar BA64 was built in the same year as the Titanic was launched. Originally called Globe IV, the former whaling boat is now 107 years old and rusting away in the stunning surroundings of the west coast of Iceland. 

Discover stunning photos of abandoned train stations around the world here.

 

The ship has been out of service since 1981 and instead of being scrapped it was run aground in Skápadalur Valley, where it has remained since, drawing photographers keen to capture its beauty.

Read more: Incredible photos of abandoned islands the world forgot