And that’s not a bad thing…

Belize, home to the second largest barrier reef in the world, has found a new way of protecting it: use a sunken ship. The Belize Tourism Board has worked closely with the Turneffe Atoll Sustainability Association (TASA) and Blackbird Caye Resort to sink The Wit Concrete, a 375-foot ship made of exactly what you’d think, to form the country’s largest wreck dive and reef enhancement project.

The “wreck” has a minimum depth of 50ft and offers divers with their Open Water certification the opportunity to explore the vast array of marine life found in Belize’s waters, such as manatees, turtles, manta rays and dolphins. More importantly, this new site, one of the largest in the Caribbean, will relieve the strain on Belize’s natural reefs.

The Wit is located at Blackbird Caye and funds collected through the park entrance fee system will assist in funding TASA’s operations and other programs in the Turneffe Atoll Marine Reserve.

For more information on the country, click here or here, if you’d like more information on Blackbird Caye Resort.