Shipwrecked

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City of Washington Shipwreck in the Florida Keys

Photo Credit: Tom & Therisa Stack

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Benwood, Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary

Photo Credit: Contributed Photo

On the Florida Keys Shipwreck Trail, one captain’s wreck is a diver’s treasure.

Call it perverse to enjoy the cloud’s silver lining, but there’s nothing I like better than benefiting from some other guy’s watery mishap. I’m not talking about modern-day misadventure. I’m talking Florida shipwrecks, where crystalline waters harbor wrecks teeming with marine life, and the history books have plenty of colorful stories to tell. Whether I’m swimming through a doorway once used by sailors, gazing at a vertical wall of coral, interacting with a giant grouper or simply enjoying the camaraderie of boating to and from the sites, I think of wreck diving (and snorkeling), as kind of my boating bonus.

The Florida Keys Shipwreck Trail is a great way to go. Established, managed and protected by the Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary, this line of notable wrecks suitable for snorkeling and scuba diving stretches from Key Largo to Key West. Reach the sites by private boat (you’ll generally find good conditions and mooring buoys) or with local operators – they offer trips for visitors to one or more of the sites on the trail, including:

Researchers gain a better understanding of the past when they are able to study artifacts in their original context. Disturbance and removal of artifacts is prohibited. They suggest that it's best to leave pieces of history where they are, for other divers to enjoy and for historians to document.

CITY OF WASHINGTON (25-08.786N. 80-15.354W.)
History: This two-masted sailing vessel, once full of passengers and cargo, sank in 1917. It’s now in 25 feet of water.
Tip: Though the wreck site is 325 feet long, you can generally follow the steel hull structure for most of the original ship’s length.

I’m talking Florida shipwrecks, where crystalline waters harbor wrecks teeming with marine life, and the history books have plenty of colorful stories to tell.

BENWOOD (25-03.144N. 80-19.930W.)
History: This merchant marine freighter sank in 1942 after colliding with another vessel (both were traveling without lights as a precaution during World War II). Now it’s found in 25-45 feet of water.
Tip: Though the ship’s remains are scattered, the 25-foot profile of the bow is a great spot for viewing fish that hide in nooks and crannies.

DUANE (24-59.388N. 80-22.888W.)
History: This 327-foot vessel, named for Andrew Jackson’s Secretary of the Treasury, William J. Duane, was sunk as an artificial reef in 1987. It’s now in 120 feet of water and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
Tip: The hull structure is intact, so there’s enough to explore during multiple visits (and you don’t necessarily have to go to 120 feet to enjoy the wreck).

EAGLE (24-52.184N. 80-34.217W.)
History: This 268-foot hull freighter was sunk as an artificial reef in 1985. It now rests in 110 feet of water.
Tip: Check out the huge anchor chain, two large masts and set of cargo booms.

SAN PEDRO (24-51.802N. 80-40.780W.)
History: This member of the 1733 Spanish treasure fleet is the oldest wreck on the Shipwreck Trail, and in just 18 feet of water, it’s great for snorkelers too. Original ballast and red bricks from the ship’s gallery mark this site (it’s a State of Florida Underwater Archaeological Preserve, so don’t touch) off of Islamorada’s Indian Key.
Tip: Look for replica cannons, an anchor from a separate 1733 wreck and a bronze plaque that were added to the site.

ADELAIDE BAKER (Cluster A: 24-42.140N. 80-53.560W.; Cluster B: 24-42.175N. 80-53.670W.)
History: This three-masted bark broken into two clusters is also called the Conrad and lies in 20 feet of water (ideal for snorkeling).
Tip: Early salvage divers appear to have placed pieces of Cluster B in a somewhat organized fashion, but this wreck is also fun for divers and snorkelers as they try to identify pieces of the wreck and find out where they may have originally been located.

THUNDERBOLT (24-39.663N. 80-57.784W.)
History: Florida Power and Light Co. purchased this former U.S. Army ship in 1961 for use in researching electrical energy and lightning strikes. The company donated the ship for sinking in 1986. The vessel is sitting upright in 120 feet of water.
Tip: Though the ship was stripped for sinking, the rudder and propellers remain.

NORTH AMERICA (24-38.270N. 81-05.605W.)
History: This wreck is believed to be the North America lost in 1842 while carrying cargo. It rests in just 14 feet of water.
Tip: Though much of the wreckage is buried in sand, it’s easy to imagine the original three-masted ship that was about 130 feet long – look for the lower hull, lots of ballast and barrels.

AMESBURY (24-37.397N. 81-58.912W. and 24-37.466N. 81-58.929W.)
History: Known in Key West as Alexander’s Wreck, this former destroyer escort is broken into two sections about 200 yards apart in
25 feet of water.
Tip: Spot lots of hull and superstructure, as well as two anti-aircraft guns and mounts.

TRAVEL FILE

Launch a wreck diving or snorkeling excursion from a different part of the state:

The Volusia County Port Authority’s Artificial Reef Program currently includes 50-plus manmade marine wildlife and fishing reefs in the Daytona Beach area. Shipwrecks including the Mindanao and the Rio Yuna are in the area.

In Palm Beach County, the Governor’s Riverwalk Reef in 90 feet of water is a quadruple-wreck site of ships seized by U.S. Customs on the Miami River. The ShaSha Boekanier, St. Jacques, Thozina and Gilbert Sea , located close together, feature coral growth that attracts tropical and game fish.