Said to be the world's most popular dive site, Molasses Reef is kept clear by the Gulf Stream off the Atlantic coast of Key Largo. Populated with a very high concentration of animals and corals (especially star and elkhorn coral), the reef's inhabitants are a good representation of life throughout the Keys. Look for vase sponges and the sea turtles that flock to them. Many coral formations are shallow enough to make great diving for novices, and spots drop to about 50 feet (15.2 meters) for the more seasoned explorers... more
Tags: BK3D1156, Other, Books, Educational and Guides, 3D Molasses Reef - Key Largo FL, Waterproof Dive Site Card
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Located within the Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary is the Benwood. This 285 foot 1910 English-built ship sailed a crew of 38 with 12 rifles and one four-inch gun. The actual sinking of the Benwood, which occurred in 1942, has been a subject of much controversy. One account goes as follows: the freighter was torpedoed during World War II by a German submarine off the Florida Keys. As she sailed in search of shallower waters, she was again hit, this time by a passing ship, the Robert C. Tuttle. Five shells on board exploded, ending this ship's possibility for being salvaged. A second... more
Tags: BK3DF45, Other, Books, Educational and Guides, 3D Benwood - Key Largo FL, Waterproof Dive Site Card
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This 188-foot military ship is the jewel of the Marathon wreck fleet. Sunk intentionally as a dive attraction in March 1986, she now sits perfectly upright in 115 feet (35 m) of water offering 45 feet (14 m) of relief. Originally named the USS Randolph, she was built for the U.S. Army as a cable laying boat. She later served FP&L as a research ship to attract and study lightning, hence her name "Thunderbolt". After sinking at the dock in Miami, she was later purchased by a group of Keys divers in 1986, prepped as an artificial reef, and scuttled for her destiny as an artificial reef... more
Tags: BK3DF49, Other, Books, Educational and Guides, 3D Thunderbolt - Marathon FL, Waterproof Dive Site Card
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The Spiegel Grove wreck is one of the most accessible and popular dives in Key Largo. It's 510 feet (155 m) long and lies in shallow enough water so that beginner divers can dive this wreck. The Spiegel Grove, nicknamed the Spiegel Beagle, had been decommissioned in 1989 after 33 years of service. With a beam of 84 feet and tonnage of 6,880 tons, she was gigantic and perfect for an artificial reef. She had been a Landing Ship Dock so she was very broad. In fact, at the time of her sinking, she was the largest ship ever scuttled for an artificial reef... more
Tags: BK3DSG, Other, Books, Educational and Guides, 3D Spiegel Grove - Key Largo FL, Waterproof Dive Site Card
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On May 18, 1986, a 130 foot US Army dredge, the Corey N Chris, was sunk in 260 feet of water as part of the Broward County artificial reef program. Then, on May 15, 1988, a 226 foot freighter, the Ronald B. Johnson, was sunk as part of the same program. The R.B.J. landed, by accident, right on top of the Corey N Chris. What luck! Today, these wrecks sit upright in 260 feet of water, joined by impact at their sterns. While this dive is still sometimes done on air, trimix is the gas of choice if you want to remember what you saw... more
Tags: BK3D1155, Other, Books, Educational and Guides, 3D RBJ - Ft Lauderdale FL, Waterproof Dive Site Card
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Twenty miles off Indian Rocks Beach you will find the rusting hulk of a 383-ton tugboat, the Sheridan. She lies within the Pinellas #2 Artificial Reef Site. The Sheridan is a fantastic wreck dive. The 180-foot tugboat lies upright and fully intact in about 75-80 feet of water. The tug lists to starboard with its prop in place. The top of the wreck can be reached at 25-30 feet. The wreck is surrounded by concrete culverts and tires. Many consider the Sheridan to be one of the best wreck dives in the Tampa/Clearwater area... more
Tags: BK3D1157, Other, Books, Educational and Guides, 3D The Sheridan - Tampa FL, Waterproof Dive Site Card
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The Sambo Reef is a collection of several reefs close to Key West. The area is divided into an Eastern area, a Middle area, and a Western area. The areas are located about four miles south of the Boca Chica Channel. If you go out to the Sambo Reefs, a pole will mark the eastern end of the reefs. This area is used for commercial and recreational diving but it is also used frequently for research purposes. There is a Sanctuary Preservation Area marked by orange floats where research is done, and fishing and taking lobster are prohibited. However... more
Tags: BK3D1160, Other, Books, Educational and Guides, 3D Western Samboo - Key West FL, Waterproof Dive Site Card
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The Vandenberg was sunk to become the largest artificial reef in the Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary, and the second largest in the world. The ship settled upright on her keel in 1 minute 44 seconds, exactly as predicted by the many model tests performed to design the sink plan. Marine life began colonizing immediately and the ship is now home to pelagic and reef fish, and many other species of marine plants and animals. On 22 February 1943 General G. O. Squier Class Transport Laid down as a Maritime Commission type (C4-S-A1) hull, under a Maritime Commission contract, at Kaiser Co... more
Tags: BK3D1162, Other, Books, Educational and Guides, 3D Vandenberg - Key West FL, Waterproof Dive Site Card
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The Vandenberg was sunk to become the largest artificial reef in the Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary, and the second largest in the world. The ship settled upright on her keel in 1 minute and 44 seconds, exactly as predicted by the many model tests performed to design the sink plan. Marine life began colonizing immediately, and the ship is now home to pelagic and reef fish, and many other species of marine plants and animals. On 22 February, 1943 General G. O. Squier Class Transport laid down as a Maritime Commission type (C4-S-A1) hull, under a Maritime Commission contract... more
Tags: BK3D1162B, Other, Books, Educational and Guides, 3D Vandenberg (Bow) - Key West FL, Waterproof Dive Site Card
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The Vandenberg was sunk to become the largest artificial reef in the Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary, and the second largest in the world. The ship settled upright on her keel in 1 minute 44 seconds, exactly as predicted by the many model tests performed to design the sink plan. Marine life began colonizing immediately and the ship is now home to pelagic and reef fish, and many other species of marine plants and animals. On 22 February, 1943 General G. O. Squier Class Transport Laid down as a Maritime Commission type (C4-S-A1) hull, under a Maritime Commission contract, at Kaiser Co... more
Tags: BK3D1162D, Other, Books, Educational and Guides, 3D Vandenberg (Deck) - Key West FL, Waterproof Dive Site Card
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The Vandenberg was sunk to become the largest artificial reef in the Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary, and the second largest in the world. The ship settled upright on her keel in 1 minute and 44 seconds, exactly as predicted by the many model tests performed to design the sink plan. Marine life began colonizing immediately and the ship is now home to pelagic and reef fish, and many other species of marine plants and animals. On 22 February, 1943 General G. O. Squier Class Transport Laid down as a Maritime Commission type (C4-S-A1) hull, under a Maritime Commission contract... more
Tags: BK3D1162S, Other, Books, Educational and Guides, 3D Vandenberg (Stern) - Key West FL, Waterproof Dive Site Card
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The 270-foot Sapona was built by Henry Ford in 1911. She served as a troop transport for just one trip during World War I. After the war, the Sapona was used by rumrunners between the Bahamas and Florida during Prohibition. Some say she was anchored and turned in to a private drinking and gambling club or simply a storage warehouse for rum. A hurricane in the late 1920s drove the ship aground between South Bimini and Cat Cay, where she only partially submerged. Today, the Sapona is very popular with divers and snorkelers. A large portion of the ship remains above water... more
Tags: BK3D1168, Other, Books, Educational and Guides, 3D Spona - Bimini, Bahamas, Waterproof Dive Site Card
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The Hollyhock was a 175-foot U.S. Coast Guard buoy tender built in March of 1937 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. In 1959, she was moved to Detroit, Michigan, where she was used as an ice breaker in Lake Michigan. She later served in Miami, Florida -- also as a buoy tender -- and in the Bahamas for refueling seaplanes for the U.S. Air Force. In 1982, the Hollyhock was decommissioned by the Coast Guard and was later purchased by a missionary and renamed the Good News Mission Ship, where she went from port to port spreading the Gospel. She became stranded in the Miami River... more
Tags: BK3DF48, Other, Books, Educational and Guides, 3D Captain Dan - Ft Lauderdale FL, Waterproof Dive Site Card
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The Cayman Salvager now lies one mile southwest of the Nine-Foot Stake. This 187-foot steel-hulled buoy tender was built in 1937 for the Coast Guard and was later used as a cable layer. She transported Cuban refugees during the Mariel boat lift in 1979, resulting in her seizure by the US government. After being seized, she was sitting at the dock awaiting her fate when she sank unexpectedly. In 1985, she was raised and prepared to be sunk again as an artificial reef in 300 feet of water. However, while being towed out for resinking, she prematurely sank in just 90 feet of water... more
Tags: BK3D1159, Other, Books, Educational and Guides, 3D Cayman Salvager - Key West FL, Waterproof Dive Site Card
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The approximatel nine foot (2.7 m) bronze sculpture symbolizes peace of mankind from its unusual setting, beneath the ocean at Key Largo Dry Rocks off John Pennekamp Coral Reef State Park. The original casting was placed in the Mediterranean Sea at San Fruttuoso Bay near Genoa, Italy in 1954. It is known as the Il Christo Degli Abissi or in English - Christ of the Abyss. Professor Guido Galletti cast the original from the inspiration of Italian swimmer/diver Duilo Merchant who wanted a symbol to inspire all who explored and loved the sea in 1954. In 1961... more
Tags: BK3DCD, Other, Books, Educational and Guides, 3D Christ of the Abyss - Key Largo FL, Waterproof Dive Site Card
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Grecian Rocks is shaped like a half circle. The reef covers an area about half a mile long, and is inshore from the other reefs in this area. It has beautiful spur and groove coral formations that are covered with colorful corals and sponges. The crest of the reef is lined with fingers of elk horn coral and colorful tropical fish. There are areas where the reef is totally out of the water at low tide. On the inside of this reef is a sandy flat expanse that is bordered with thick turtle grass areas... more
Tags: BK3DGR, Other, Books, Educational and Guides, 3D Gercian Rocks - Florida Keys FL, Waterproof Dive Site Card
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Joe's Tug is an old steel-hulled shrimper originally destined as an artificial reef off the coast of Miami. She first sank at the pier in Key West in 1986. Joe's Tug was then raised and cleaned in preparation for her planned sinking as an artificial reef in Miami. However, late on the night before it was scheduled to be towed north, a group of locals secretly towed the boat out of Key West harbor. The vessel sank en route to wherever they were headed, landing on the reef in about 65 feet of water. Joe's Tug is 75 feet in length, and now sits in about 65 feet of water in the sand... more
Tags: BK3D1158, Other, Books, Educational and Guides, 3D Joe's Tug - Key West FL, Waterproof Dive Site Card
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The Eagle was built in Werf-Gorinchem, Holland by Bijker's Aanneming's Bedrijf, Ijssel under the title yard number 167. She was known by various names. Beginning on December 31, 1962 under the name Raila Dan, the Eagle was 268.5-feet long, 40.29-feet wide and 65-feet high. She was later named Barok in 1967. Seven years later, her name was changed again to Carmela. She was also known in 1976 as Ytai, Etai (1977), and Carigulf Pioneer (1981). She was purchased in 1984 by Jonaz Corporation Ltd. of Georgetown, Cayman Islands where she was named Arron K. Finally, she was christened Eagle Tire Co... more
Tags: BK3D1161D, Other, Books, Educational and Guides, 3D Eagle (Deck) - Islamorada FL, Waterproof Dive Site Card
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HMCS Cape Breton was launched in 1944 at the Burrard Dry-dock facility in North Vancouver, British Columbia as the HMS Flamborough Head. Flamborough Head was one of a series of ships intended to operate with the British Pacific Fleet in the war against Japan and for the re-colonization of Asian territories. While they were under construction, the Royal Navy was experiencing a severe manpower shortage. To this end, Sir Winston Churchill attempted to get Canadian Prime Minister Mackenzie King to provide Canadian crews. This offer was refused by the wartime Canadian leader for political reasons... more
Tags: BK3D1196, Other, Books, Educational and Guides, 3D HMCS Cape Breton - Nanaimo, BC Canada Waterproof Dive Site Card
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The Eagle was built in Werf-Gorinchem, Holland by Bijker's Aanneming's Bedrijf, Ijssel under the title yard number 167. She was known by various names. Beginning on December 31, 1962 under the name Raila Dan, the Eagle was 268.5-feet long, 40.29-feet wide and 65-feet high. She was later named Barok in 1967. Seven years later, her name was changed again to Carmela. She was also known in 1976 as Ytai, Etai (1977), and Carigulf Pioneer (1981). She was purchased in 1984 by Jonaz Corporation Ltd. of Georgetown, Cayman Islands where she was named Arron K. Finally, she was christened Eagle Tire Co... more
Tags: BK3DEG, Other, Books, Educational and Guides, 3D Eagle - Islamorada FL, Waterproof Dive Site Card
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