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Imperial Eagle
The Imperial Eagle was launched in 1938 as the New Royal Lady. She changed her name a few times, and even plied the waters of the Firth of Forth in Scotland, as the Royal Lady. She also carried out port defence duties for the US Navy. In 1957 she came to Malta and, modified to carry cars, was renamed the Imperial Eagle. At 150ft long and weighing 250 tonnes, the wreck makes a perfect dive for the 43m of water off Qawra Point in which it lies.
The Imperial Eagle was said to be the sister-ship of Jacques Cousteau's first Calypso. There is large statue of Christ positioned just off the wreck, a very short fin along the reef and the bows of the Imperial Eagle loom out of the blue, sitting bolt upright on clean white sand. From the bows you fin over the bridge and the remains of the wheelhouse. The walls have fallen away but the wheel remains, a perfect prop for photography. The mast rises up behind it, pointing to the sun above and masked only by dense shoals of damselfish, a fantastic sight. Finning aft, the funnel appears, preceded by the remains of two air vents. On the sea bed the stern rises high above you and you can visit the twin screws, which are heavily encrusted with orange growth, and the rudder hard over to port. You can then ascend to deck level and fin along the companionway, which runs the length of the ship, looking through the windows into the blue, before exiting through a window under the bridge which leads onto the foredeck. Here the mooring bollards and winches can be viewed.
The Imperial Eagle was said to be the sister-ship of Jacques Cousteau's first Calypso. There is large statue of Christ positioned just off the wreck, a very short fin along the reef and the bows of the Imperial Eagle loom out of the blue, sitting bolt upright on clean white sand. From the bows you fin over the bridge and the remains of the wheelhouse. The walls have fallen away but the wheel remains, a perfect prop for photography. The mast rises up behind it, pointing to the sun above and masked only by dense shoals of damselfish, a fantastic sight. Finning aft, the funnel appears, preceded by the remains of two air vents. On the sea bed the stern rises high above you and you can visit the twin screws, which are heavily encrusted with orange growth, and the rudder hard over to port. You can then ascend to deck level and fin along the companionway, which runs the length of the ship, looking through the windows into the blue, before exiting through a window under the bridge which leads onto the foredeck. Here the mooring bollards and winches can be viewed.