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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North Florida cave diver, Woody Jasper, first invented sidewinder-style reels around 1980. Less likely to entangle than other reels on the market, Woody's original reel was made of aluminum and a PVC spool. The side-handle style of the reel lent itself to exploration because it could easily switch from hand to hand while laying out line. Dive Rite's Sidewinder Series of Reels are designed to be Anti-Jam by using Precision Machine Tolerances between the Frame and the Spool making it nearly impossible for the line to slip between the spool and the handle... more
Tags: DIV52050, Dive Rite, Reels, Add-On Gear, Dive Rite Sidewinder Reels Jump/Gap 50' #24
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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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Dry cavers were using directional markers long before there were any cave divers. The early cave divers in Florida saw the benefit of these markers, and Lewis Holzendorf came up with the idea of folding a triangle of tape around the line to form an arrow. These tape arrows were called "Dorf" markers, in Lewis' honor. There were a couple of problems with tape arrows, however - they slid along the line and were difficult to feel in a silt-out. Cave Diving pioneer Sheck Exley asked fellow diver Forrest Wilson to lead a discussion group at a NSS workshop... more
Tags: Dive-Rite Line Arrow for Dive Reels (2015),Dive-Rite Line Arrow,General Accessories,Dive Reels,Assorted Accessories,Div2015,Dive-Rite,Dive Rite
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The Cavern/Safety Reel came about as North Florida cave training agencies began establishing standards in cave training. The established standard for cavern divers was to limit penetration no farther than 130 linear feet (40 meters) from daylight. Experienced cave divers use the Cavern/Safety Reel as a Jump Reel or as a Backup for Security. Wreck Divers will use this Reel for Shooting Lift Bags. The Cavern/Safety Reel is available with 140' (42.7 meters) of Durable DuPont Fiber Braided #24-Line which has 220 lbs (99.80 kg) Breakage Strength and a Medium Marine Grade Stainless Steel Bolt Snap... more
Tags: DIV4100, Dive Rite, Reels, Add-On Gear, Dive-Rite Cavern/Safety Reel Without Drag 140' #24
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The Cavern/Safety Reel came about as North Florida cave training agencies began establishing standards in cave training. The established standard for cavern divers was to limit penetration no farther than 130 linear feet (40 meters) from daylight. Experienced cave divers use the Cavern/Safety Reel as a Jump Reel or as a Backup for Security. Wreck Divers will use this Reel for Shooting Lift Bags. The Cavern/Safety Reel is available with 90' (27.4 meters) of Heavy .083" (2.11 mm) #36 DuPont Fiber Braided Line, with 350 lbs (158... more
Tags: DIV4110, Dive Rite, Reels, Add-On Gear, Dive Rite Cavern/Safety Reel Without Drag 90' #36
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North Florida cave diver, Woody Jasper, first invented the Explorer Reel around 1980. As cave explorations were becoming longer, deeper, and more extensive a reel was needed that could help an explorer make some serious penetrations into a virgin cave system. Less likely to entangle than other reels on the market, Woody's original reel was made of aluminum and a PVC spool. The side-handle style of the reel lent itself to exploration because it could easily switch from hand to hand while laying out line. Twenty years later... more
Tags: DIV51550, Dive Rite, Reels, Add-On Gear, Dive Rite Sidewinder Explorer Reels Wreck 550' #36
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KEY LARGO & UPPER KEYS - A Diving Destination In this 'Dive travel' adventure series we take you to the sky with a helicopter ride over Key Largo, the northern most island of the Florida Keys island chain, and fly over Molasses Reef, one of many reefs just off shore. 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 & Elkhorn coral), the reef's inhabitants area good representation of life throughout the Keys... more
Tags: DVDKL, Dive Travel DVD, DVD's, Educational and Guides, DVD Key Largo & Upper Keys - Dive Travel Video Adventure Series
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