La Famille Express shipwreck tour, Turks & Caicos
A 1953 freighter, aground since 2004, sitting 2.3 miles off Long Bay with the hull still above the surface. An hour on the water, out to it and back. You snorkel the wreck in between.
Photography is illustrative; final footage lands before launch.
The run out to La Famille Express
The wreck sits 2.3 miles out, and there is no landmark to steer by. You open the throttle and run out across the flats, nothing but turquoise in every direction. Then the hull appears: a freighter rising out of the sea where no land should be. You cut the engine and drift up to it, then slip into the water and snorkel the hull among the reef fish that have made it home.
The wreck, and the run out to it
- La Famille Express. a 1953 freighter, aground since Hurricane Frances put her there in 2004
- 2.3 miles offshore. open water the whole way, escorted out and back
- Snorkel the hull. mask and vest provided; you swim the outside of it, never inside
- GoPro footage. sent to you after
What's included
Not included
What to expect
The wreck sits roughly 2.3 miles off Long Bay. You get to it by boat or by Jet Ski, and realistically no other way.
- 1At the dock. Waiver, briefing, gear, and a few minutes to get comfortable on the ski.
- 2Open water. Throttle open across the flats, escorted, out toward Long Bay.
- 3The wreck rises. Cut the engine and drift up to the hull standing out of the water.
- 4Snorkel the hull. Mask down among the reef fish and the occasional lobster. Outside only, never inside.
- 5Back in. The same water, the same dock you left from.
Built in 1953 in the USSR as the oil-rig service ship Fort Shevchenko, she was acquired by Panama and renamed La Famille Express in 1999, hauling bulk rock across the Caribbean. She ran aground during Hurricane Frances in 2004 and has sat off Long Bay ever since, about 2.3 miles out, in shallow enough water that the hull still stands above the surface.
One hour, dock to dock.
Where you meet
Who this ride is for
No experience needed. It is still 2.3 miles of open water, so a few things have to be true.
Drivers 16+, no license
No Jet Ski experience needed. Passengers ride along with an adult from age 4.
Swimming
You should be comfortable in open water to snorkel the wreck. A life vest is provided and worn the whole time, on the ski and in the water.
Guided the whole way
A guide leads the run out and back, and stays with the group the whole time you are at the wreck.
Meeting point
Arrive 15 minutes early. The waiver and the briefing are done at the launch before anyone gets on a ski.
Cancellation and weather
Free cancellation. Cancel or move your booking up to 24 hours before your start time, for any reason, at no charge.
Weather. If it isn’t safe to go out, we don’t go out. Message us before you book and we’ll confirm what happens to your booking and your deposit if we make that call.
2.3 miles offshore, and what that involves
Two things drive almost every question on this one: the 2.3 miles of open water, and getting into it at the far end.
2.3 miles offshore on a Jet Ski — is that safe?
You ride escorted the whole way, after a full briefing, in a life vest, on a machine built for open water. A guide leads the run and stays with the group at the wreck.
Can I snorkel the wreck? Can I go inside it?
You snorkel the outside of the hull, which sits in shallow water with reef fish all around it. Nobody goes inside. She has been rusting in salt water since 2004 and there is no safe way in.
Do I need to know how to swim, and what if open water makes me queasy?
You should be comfortable in open water to get anything out of the snorkel stop. Everyone wears a life vest the whole time, and you can stay on the ski if you'd rather not get in. Seasickness is rare when you're the one driving, but on choppier days a non-drowsy motion tablet about an hour before helps.
Do I need a license or experience?
No license and no Jet Ski experience needed. Drivers must be 16 or older. You sign a waiver and complete the briefing before you go out.
