While we’re all waiting for our cephalopod overlords to arrive, a giant steel kraken has taken up residence on the floor of the Caribbean sea. This fantastic 80-foot metal beast is part of a project entitled BVI Art Reef. It was deliberately sunk atop the Kodiak Queen, a decorated WWII fuel barge, in effort to stimulate the development of a new coral ecosystem and, in turn, create a new marine research and education center.
The Kodiak Queen, formerly a Navy fuel barge named the YO-44, was discovered by British photographer Owen Buggy approximately two and a half years ago on the island of Tortola. Instead of letting the historic vessel get picked apart for scrap metal, Buggy approached former boss Sir Richard Branson about collaborating on a restorative art installation. Together with nonprofit Unite B.V.I., artist group Secret Samurai Productions, social justice entrepreneurial group Maverick1000, and ocean education nonprofit Beneath the Waves, the project was established as both an eco-friendly art installation, and a philanthropic measure to rehabilitate native marine species.
Filmmaker Rob Sorrenti is currently creating a documentary about the construction and subsequent sinking of the kraken and the Kodiak Queen. The film is due out ealt next year, but you can watch a clip here:
Head over to Colossal to learn more about this awesome project.
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