The Aeolus in North Carolina combines two things that sound scary to many people: a shipwreck and sharks with needle-like teeth.
This vessel was an attack cargo ship for the US Navy in the 1940s before becoming a cable repair ship in 1955. After many years of service, the Aeolus was scuttled (sunk on purpose) in 1988 off the coast of North Carolina as part of a programme to create artificial reefs.
She now lies on the seabed around 33 metres deep, although she is no longer in one piece. The 120-metre-long shipwreck was rocked so violently by a hurricane in the 1990s that she was torn into bits.
Those who visit this dive site might be joined by an animal with a cutting grin. The Aeolus, like some other wreck sites in North Carolina, has become known for its population of sand tiger sharks.
This species is sometimes known by another name: raggedtooth sharks or, affectionately, raggies. Take one look at their pin cushion of a mouth and you’ll see why.
Seeing these ominous-looking sharks, which can grow to around 3 metres long, leering towards you through the skeleton of the Aeolus makes the experience feel even more haunting. It doesn’t help that sand tiger sharks swim with their mouths open, as if to show off their epic teeth.
Yet, despite their fearsome face, raggies are placid sharks. Their spiky teeth might look ferocious but they’re designed to grip onto small, slippery prey, such as fish and squid, rather than shearing apart larger animals. That is to say, humans just aren’t on their menu.
Many scuba divers come to this site armed with their cameras, hoping to capture a great shot of the sharks cruising lazily around the wreck – especially in what has become known as the ‘shark room’ (sometimes also called the 'shark ballroom' or 'Club Aeolus’), where raggies are often found hanging out.
The presence of sharks indicates something important: a healthy ecosystem. So, it’s no surprise that the wreck is also bustling with many other species of fish.
A study, published in the journal Ecology in 2019, used citizen science photos to show that female raggies return to the wreck year after year. What makes the Aeolus (and other North Carolina wrecks) so attractive to these critically endangered animals isn’t quite clear, but something keeps drawing them back.
Top image: Aeolus shipwreck. Credit: Kevin Littleton/Getty Images
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