The paradox of underwater shipwrecks is that the vibrant marine life thriving around them stems from tragic events. One of the most devastating examples is the eruption of Mount Pelée in Martinique on May 8, 1902, which remains the deadliest volcanic disaster of the 20th century. Today, lush greenery has reclaimed the land, and the people of Saint-Pierre have resumed their daily lives. Beneath the waves, however, the shipwrecks resting in the bay since that fateful day continue to captivate divers from around the world.
The Lost “Little Paris”
Nicknamed the “Little Paris” or the “Paris of the Islands,” Saint-Pierre was a thriving cultural and economic hub in the early 20th century. Its stone buildings, botanical gardens, theaters, and rum distilleries made it one of the most admired cities in the Caribbean. The town boasted a horse-drawn tramway and one of the most prosperous ports in the region, serving as a crucial stopover for transatlantic voyages. Everything changed on the morning of May 8, 1902.
A Foretold Disaster
The eruption was not unexpected. For weeks, Mount Pelée had shown signs of activity—constant fumaroles, frequent tremors, thick clouds of ash, and even minor explosions. On May 5, a deadly lahar (a volcanic mudslide) engulfed the Guérin factory, claiming 23 lives. Despite these ominous warnings, local authorities downplayed the threat, preoccupied with upcoming legislative elections. Rather than evacuate the city, they even prohibited ships from leaving the harbor.
At approximately 8:00 a.m. on May 8, as church bells rang to call worshippers to Ascension Day services, a violent explosion erupted from Mount Pelée’s summit. A towering black plume soared over four kilometers into the sky. Within minutes, a pyroclastic surge—a superheated cloud of gas and ash traveling hundreds of kilometers per hour—swept through Saint-Pierre, reducing the city to ashes. The destruction extended over 1,500 meters into the sea, igniting ships anchored in the bay. Nearly 30,000 people perished, with only three known survivors. About 15 vessels sank, taking their crews and passengers with them.
The Sunken Giants of the Bay
Today, the wrecks of the Roraïma and the Tayama are among the most famous in the bay. The Roraïma is known for its immense size, now a colossal structure beneath the waves. The Tayama, lying at a depth of 85 meters, presents a challenge only accessible to divers using specialized gas mixtures.
The Roraïma arrived in Saint-Pierre just two hours before the catastrophe. A steam-powered cargo vessel of the Quebec Steamship Company, it had traveled from New York. Upon seeing the darkened skies and thick volcanic ash, the captain hesitated. However, reassured by local authorities, he moored the ship just 700 meters from shore to unload passengers and cargo before continuing to Brazil. The crew and passengers never had the chance.
For three days, the Roraïma burned before sinking stern-first. The impact with the seabed, at a depth of 55 meters, broke the vessel apart. Discovered in 1974 by Michel Métery, the 120-meter-long wreck now lies in three sections. Due to its size and depth, multiple dives are needed to fully explore it. The bow remains upright on the sandy seabed, with the highest point at 36 meters and the deepest at 48 meters. The ship’s smokestack was obliterated in the explosion, and the superstructure collapsed. Over more than a century, the wreck has become an artificial reef, home to an astonishing variety of marine life. Sponges, giant barrel sponges, sea fans, elk horn corals, and whip corals have taken over its surface. Inside, remnants of the engine room, boilers, galley, and even bathrooms remain accessible, providing shelter to countless crustaceans and marine creatures.
For divers and history enthusiasts alike, the sunken relics of Saint-Pierre serve as both a breathtaking underwater experience and a solemn reminder of the tragic day when the “Paris of the Islands” was lost to fire and ash.