A sinking ship isn’t always a bad thing, especially when its descent conjures up new powers of attraction and purpose. So when submarine tour operator Atlantis Adventures orchestrated the sinking of the Carthaginian a half-mile off Maui’s West coast, shore-bound crowds cheered.The longtime icon of Lahaina Harbor had traded its topside status for a more subtle position as Hawaii’s newest underwater attraction.

It’s not the first time Atlantis has invested in the art of underwater embellishment.In 1989, the company transformed a reef-less stretch of seafloor off Waikiki by sinking a WWII Navy tanker, a large fishing vessel, airplane sections and some experimental reef structures. The project was designed to enhance the tour for sub passengers but it benefited the marine environment too.

Ronald Williams, president and CEO of Atlantis Adventures, explained, “Before the Waikiki artificial reefs, there was very limited fish and marine activity in that area. Today, we see a vibrant eco-system at work supporting all types of indigenous fish, coral, sea turtles, and other marine life.” Atlantis officials predict similar benefits will flow from the addition of the Carthaginian off Maui.

In 1973 the 97-foot, steel-hulled vessel was converted into a replica whaling ship and floating museum. But after 30 years of service, time and rust had taken its toll on the 1920s German-built Norway freighter. Something had to be done. A feasibility study determined a refurbishment was cost-prohibitive and predicted the Carthaginian would not survive being towed to Honolulu for repairs.So in 2003 its owner, the Lahaina Restoration Foundation, asked Atlantis about the potential for its use as an artificial reef instead of scuttling her out at sea.

The company had been offering sub tours off Lahaina since 1991 and embraced the idea of adding some local history to their seafloor sightseeing. As the world’s largest submarine tour provider, Atlantis operates in nine locations worldwide including the Caribbean, Mexico, Guam, Waikiki, Kona and Maui.Jim Walsh, general manager of Atlantis Submarines Maui, noted, “We have a wonderful submarine tour and this will make the experience even better, while improving the marine life environment. And for Lahaina, this keeps the Carthaginian here where she belongs.”

The Carthaginian’s journey from the harbor to the bottom wasn’t an easy one, however, but after working with many state and federal agencies, the project was finally approved and completed with everyone’s approval

Additional challenges: many locals were reluctant to let go of their Lahaina Harbor friend. And, there was concern about the environmental impact of sinking a ship near Maui’s beautiful coast. Walsh recounted: “A full environmental impact statement was completed, which takes all aspects of the project into consideration and there was community involvement throughout the process. Once the community understood that the vessel was really beyond repair and had become a potential problem for Lahaina Harbor, they supported the idea.” It helped that no public money was involved. The project was funded entirely by Atlantis.

, “We take great pride in being stewards of the marine environment that Atlantis works in,” Walsh added. “So we’ve been committed to doing this project the right way. We strongly support the conservation message that we impart to our visitors: to respect and protect our environment.”

With the Carthaginian safely secured offshore between Puamana Park and Launiapoko Park, signs of its appeal are already evident 95 feet below.Marine life is taking up residence, sub passengers are enjoying a new highlight on their underwater tour and scuba divers are delighting in a fresh dive – a fact that should help reduce pressure on popular natural reefs along the Lahaina coastline.

The extra scuba diving traffic has to be coordinated with submarine trips..To handle it, Walsh said, “We have had an initial meeting with the local scuba dive operators who will frequent the wreck and together, we established a ‘SOP’ (Safe Operating Practices). This will ensure the safety of all those enjoying the artificial reef. It will also be a win-win for the divers as well as our sub guests. The divers get a kick out of seeing the sub, and our sub guests enjoy seeing the divers on the wreck.”

That submerged form of symbiosis also fits into the company’s tour philosophy which Walsh calls “edutainment.”This term, he said, “really describes what we try to accomplish on every tour: to educate our guests in a fun and entertaining way.”

Beyond offering new opportunities for fun and casual learning, the Carthaginian’s function as a new home for marine life triggers several specific additional benefits. It gives juvenile species of fish a place to grow; offers a replenishment area for fish to congregate;generates a solid substrate for coral to take hold and grow; and a more formal educational opportunity for schools (such as Maui Community College’s marine option program) to study the biomass increase. Eventually, the vessel will slowly deteriorate and evolve into a natural reef setting as the coral grows and sustains itself.

The standards for environmental sensitive are high in Hawaii and Maui has a reputation as one of the world’s most ecologically sensitive tourist destinations. Here visitors can choose from whisper quiet helicopter rides, nonpolluting bicycle tours, low-impact hiking treks and several eco-oriented attractions.

One of Maui's biggest eco-tourism attractions is the Maui Ocean Center where all the animals on display were collected exclusively from waters around the Hawaiian Islands and done so under strict guidelines with government permits. All the animals are featured and cared for with integrity. The green sea turtles, for example, are part of MOC’s “hatch-and-release program”. They are given a strong head start and eventually will be returned to the wild. Many of the rays and sharks are rotated from the aquarium to the ocean as well. Some of them may even end up enjoying the shelter offered by the Carthaginian.

In all, the Carthaginian’s new role at the bottom of the sea represents a near-perfect scenario that holds similar promise for future projects, but Walsh said the company isn’t in a hurry. “Our current permit has another location where we can install something else if the opportunity arises.,” he revealed. “We would have to go through some approval processes again, however to a much lesser extent. At the moment we do not have such plans.”

If and when that opportunity presents itself, Atlantis’ experience in reef refurbishment seems likely to attract support above and below Hawaiian waters.

For more information, visit www.atlantisadventures.com.