When I think about Rovinj, my thoughts always drift to the memory of the Baron Gautsch, one of the most fascinating shipwrecks in the Mediterranean. I cannot imagine visiting Rovinj without paying respects to the Baron Gautsch. None of the diving destinations in Rovinj could compare with the beauty of diving to the wreck of the Austrian steamer Baron Gautsch.

You have by now realized that I am very fond of the Baron Gautsch, and you are probably wondering why I find it so interesting. There are two reasons: its noble, and tragic story, and the state of preservation of the ship.

The Story

The Baron Gautsch was a passenger ship belonging to the Austrian Lloyd. It sailed the Dalmatian route between the southern Dalmatia and Trieste. During the First World War, this Austrian steamer used to take on board the refugees from the once safe Adriatic zone. On August 13, 1914 at 11:00 AM, the Baron Gautsch sailed from the port of Veli Losinj (Lussin Grande) in the direction of Trieste. Its estimated arrival time was 6:00 PM. The steamer was sticking close to the shore in order to evade the minefield that had been laid by the Austrian Navy. The day was beautiful, and the sea calm. Only one oversight made by the captain (who was, according to several witnesses, in his cabin enjoying good company) sealed the fate of the ship. It stumbled into the minefield. At 3:45 PM – BOOM – the ship was hit. It sank in a matter of minutes: out of 300 persons who were on board, 130 drowned. The surviving crew faced heavy accusations - many lifeboats were not used due to bad maintenance, while the life preservers could not be used since they were locked up in order to prevent the third class passengers from using them as pillows during the voyage. Finally, the crew was accused of putting themselves first, instead of saving the passengers, many of them women and children.

The Shipwreck

The Baron Gautsch shipwreck lies at the depth of 40 meters. It still holds an up-right position with its bow faced in the direction the ship was heading to before the tragic event. What makes the dive to the wreck so fascinating is its present state. While you dive around the ship, you can still feel the atmosphere of the Belle Epoque, you can imagine the ladies strolling on the passenger deck, the business people lingering in the smoking parlor after lunch, relaxing with a glass of brandy and smoking pipes. You can almost feel the tension and panic that filled the hearts of the passengers in the moments before the tragedy.

Different dives are possible: starting from the dives of medium difficulty outside the wreck (it is still a deep-sea dive into the blue!), to the technical investigations of the inside of the ship. A partial entrance to the ship is possible. The upper decks are in ruins but there are no difficulties. You are only limited by time. If you run out of air you cannot dive around the whole wreck remaining within the safety curve. The most interesting part is the passenger deck lying at the depth of 30 meters. If you are equipped with the Nitrox, this is the perfect opportunity to make use of it.

The Dive

The divers in Rovinj will only take you to the point where you take the dive; the rest is up to you. You must plan your diving route.

The diving route, which I like, is the following:

I start diving along the berth that leads me to the roof of the wreck. Then I turn toward the bow. At this point, I like to distance myself from the wreck, turn and take a comprehensive look at the shipwreck. The image fascinates me every time. It seems like the Baron is still sailing and cutting waves with its jagged bow. Then I start passing along the left perimeter (to the right from the bow), keeping myself slightly lower than the passenger deck, and throwing a probing look under the lamp light into the ship, as if hoping to discover some ancient secrets. When I get close to the stern, I raise my position a little, and enter the part of the passenger deck that is roofed over, and return diving along the other side of the wreck. If you want to experience the pleasure of diving to the depth of 40 meters to see the propellers (do not do it if using EANx32), remember that this will cost you your remaining minutes within the safety curve. I prefer to stay inside the roofed-over part of the passenger deck, and return along the other side of the wreck. If you are running out of air at this point, you must hurry up because you might not make it back within the safety curve. If you’re equipped with the EANx32, say goodbye to your colleagues in ARA, and continue… After reaching the right side of the wreck, I usually cannot pass by without entering into the main saloon, although I recommend you stay at the upper level (see map). I recommend this so as not to complicate your life, and to secure that you do not exceed the limit of oxygen toxicity, if you are using the enriched mixes. After investigating the inside of the ship, I return to the passenger deck staying inside the ship all the time, and proceed towards the bow. When I reach the altitude of the command bridge, I start to dive upwards, and I sit on the roof of the command bridge, throwing the last glance in the direction of the bow which, from this altitude, looks like the Titanic. I look at the place where the funnels used to be, and I say goodbye to the Baron until the next dive…

Those who want to know more about the history and the finding of the ship, I recommend reading the “L’ultimo viaggio del Baron Gautsch” (“The Last Voyage of the Baron Gautsch”) by Pietro Spirito (Lint Trieste Publishing). I guarantee you that after reading this book, diving to the shipwreck will get a completely new meaning to you.