With fantastic visibility and warm, ambient water temperatures, Key Largo is one of the world’s best places to dive. Certainly, there are fantastic reefs and magnificent marine life everywhere; but, in addition, you’ll find spectacular wrecks, ranging from the very old, to the brand new. Some of these wrecks are in deep water and accessible only to the most seasoned divers, and others are at depths shallow enough for all to enjoy – so, no matter how long you’ve been diving, you’re certain to find at least one great wreck to explore! Let’s take a peek at five of the best.
USS Spiegel Grove
The USS Spiegel Grove was named after the Ohio hometown of the 19th US President, Rutherford B. Hayes. Launched in 1956, her hull number is LSD-32, or Landing ship dock 32. The ship is an incredible 510 feet long, with a massive helipad and an 84 foot beam. Besides being one of Florida’s best wreck dives, she is one of the largest artificial reefs on the planet.
During her long career, the Spiegel Grove sailed the Atlantic, the Caribbean, and Mediterranean seas, and she also served on humanitarian missions to Africa in the 1960’s. After gaining distinction as the Navy’s “Top Dog”, she was finally decommissioned, cleaned up, and towed to Key Largo to be deployed as an artificial reef.
Though she sits upright today, she initially landed upside down. She was refloated and re-sunk, but landed on her side and stayed there until Hurricane Dennis righted her. All this movement caused the ship’s helipad to become dislodged, and it now lies in the sand, off to one side. The ship’s guns were removed during cleaning, so all that remains of those batteries are the massive springs that once held them up.
You can access the ship’s superstructure, as well as the top of her crane, at 65 feet, and her deck at 100 feet. There are holes in the ship’s hull for ease of penetration, and there are even permanent lines inside the wreck. Even so, penetration is hazardous and should only be undertaken by properly trained and equipped wreck divers. There is plenty to see outside the ship – in fact, it takes several dives just to circumnavigate Spiegel Grove. Maximum depth is 134 feet, and visibility is usually 50 feet or better.
Benwood
Built in 1910, the Benwood was a 360 foot freighter, with a 51 foot beam. She was operating under a Norwegian flag and running without lights during blackout conditions on April 9th, 1942, when she was involved in a collision with the Robert C. Tuttle. Knowing that the ship was going to sink, the captain ran her aground. Her cargo of phosphates, which were vital to the war effort, was salvaged, but the ship was too badly damaged to be saved. Instead, it was used for US Navy bombing practice, and was finally blown up to prevent it from being a hazard to navigation.
Now part of the John Pennekamp National Marine sanctuary, the remains of the Benwood lie in 35 to 45 feet of waters, and are home to a plethora of fish, including schools of midnight parrotfish, butterfly fish, angel fish, and others, as well as nurse sharks and moray eels, and an endless array of macro life. Visibility is usually 50 to 80 feet, and this wreck can be explored by all divers.
USCGC Duane
The US Coast Guard Cutter William J. Duane was built in 1936. During her long career at sea, she patrolled the North Atlantic, and went to Vietnam. She took part in the D-Day invasion, and she even assisted in the sinking of a Nazi U-boat. During the Mariel Boat Lift, she helped to bring hundreds of Cuban refugees to safety, and she helped with countless other rescue missions.
Today, the 327 foot cutter is on final patrol beneath 125 feet of water. You can access the crow’s nest at 50 feet, and the deck at 100 feet. Added to Key Largo’s artificial reef system in 1987, she offers shelter to all kinds of fish and invertebrates, and divers have spotted whale sharks, bull sharks, and other large pelagics while exploring her magnificent remains. A combination of depth and a fairly steady current reserves a trip to the Duane for experienced divers only.
USCGC Bibb
The Duane’s sister ship, USCGC Bibb, was deployed as an artificial reef in 1987, one day after the Duane was sunk. 327 feet long, the Bibb was involved in countless rescues, including the 1943 rescue of 202 survivors from the merchant ship SS Henry Mallory. She sailed the Caribbean and Mediterranean, Atlantic and Pacific, and she also served in Vietnam. In 1945, the cutter was part of the invasion of Okinawa, Japan.
Today, Bibb rests on her starboard side, in 135 feet of water. Her port gunwale can be accessed at 100 feet. Reserved for expert divers, USCGC Bibb is beautifully wreathed in coral and sponge growth, and provides shelter to countless species of marine life. Watch for sharks, rays, and other pelagic fish as you explore this historic wreck!
City of Washington
The steam-powered City of Washington was built in 1877, and routinely carried passengers from New York to Havana. At 320 feet long, and with a beam of 38 feet, she is a spectacular sight to see! She was anchored near the USS Maine when that ship exploded in Havana’s harbor in 1898, and was credited with rescuing 90 of the Maine’s crew.
After she became outdated, the City of Washington was used as a barge, and finally, she ran aground in the very spot where she sits today. Covered in brilliant coral and sponge growth, and resting with her keel in just 25 feet of water, the wreck is accessible to all divers, and is frequently visited by snorkelers, as well. You’ll find all kinds of fish and invertebrates on this wreck, and as visibility and lighting conditions are exceptional, this site is an underwater photographer’s paradise!
Be sure to plan for these dives in advance, particularly if you want to visit the Duane, the Bibb, or the Spiegel Grove. Check with local dive operators to see what their requirements are, as each of the more advanced dives requires that you have recently logged dives. Whether you eventually visit all these wrecks, or manage to dive only one of them, you are certain to come away with fantastic memories that will last you a lifetime!