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The St. George was a cargo ship built in Scotland in 1962, used to transport grain and barley.
After roughly 20 years of service, it was abandoned in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic.
Hurricane George struck the boat in 1998, which is how it got its name and it was deliberately sunk in 1999 to create an artificial reef for divers.
In the 25+ years since it was sunk, the wreck has developed into a thriving reef ecosystem with dense coral coverage and tons of marine life.
The wreck's deepest point sits at 130 feet, making it an advanced dive and the absolute limit of recreational diving depth.
I dove this site in April of 2026, and wanted to share my experience with you all!
The Dive
We dropped straight to 130 feet at the bottom of the hull, then spent the rest of the dive working up through the wreck entering rooms and swim-throughs as we ascended in order to maximize no-decompression limit time.
The dive lasted only 28 minutes, but this dive time is a function of the depth. At 130 feet your air and NDL burns fast.
Most charters leave a drop tank down at depth on this dive, a solid safety measure for divers.
Wreck Penetration
There are a lot of wreck penetration oppurtunities here, including the engine room, but it wasn't somewhere I was able to reach this dive.
The owner of the dive charter told me they don't take large groups inside due to the safety risks and unknowns around a first-time diver's skill level.
If you're a repeat customer with a small group and solid buoyancy, they'll take you into the deeper interior sections of the wreck.
Marine Life
The wreck has had 25+ years to accumulate coral coverage, and the structure is heavily colonized throughout — soft corals, sponges, and encrusting growth across the hull. Reef fish are dense on the exterior.
Diving Conditions
My Garmin Descent MK3i logged water temps between 80 and 83°F during my April dives out of Bayahibe. A short 3mm wetsuit is fine.
Visibility was around 50–60 feet when I was there. The dive charter mentioned visibility was slightly below normal due to recent winds and storms, so expect better on a calm week.
Current was minimal on my dive, consistent with most of the Caribbean coast diving in the Dominican Republic.
What to Know Before You Go
If you want to reach the deepest levels of this wreck, you'll need to hold a Deep Diver certification.
Nitrogen narcosis is worth understanding before you dive past 100 feet.
Breathing compressed air at depth can produce intoxicating, drunk-like effects in some divers.
Join my scuba diving community.
I’m Austin, a PADI Divemaster with over a decade of diving experience under my belt.
I created a free scuba diving community, where divers can connect, learn, and share their dives.
See you inside!
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