Duane or Spiegel Grove?

[scubadada]

Seems unanimous for the Spiegle Grove, I'll take the Duane. I have many routes on the Spiegle Grove and love the dives. The Duane is magical with the coverage and fish life. I have several fantasic routes through the wreck and never tire of the dives. I've seen Bull Sharks on several decents. To each their own.

Good diving, Craig

 

[scubaguy655]

I would choose which ever one had the least amount of current. In my opinion the SP is a fantastic dive when the current isn't ripping. All things being equal, it would be my preference simply because there is more to explore in the structure of the wreck.

Yet.....the textbook shot from the deck of the Duane to the crows nest is classic so if there is current on the SG and less on the Duane, I would choose the Duane

 

[T.C.]

One thing to consider, the Duane is further from the inlet than the Grove; so longer boat ride. If the current is blowing on the Grove, then it WILL be on the Duane.

I've had good dives on both. You'll enjoy it no matter what you pick. You will love Quiesence too.

 

[drrich2]

Just in case you get out to the area of the Duane, & the question comes up of Duane vs. Bibb, the former is upright and the latter on its side, a guide told me the Duane has consistently more fish life in his experience, and a captain told me that of the two the Bibb gets interesting after you have already done the Duane a few times. They are basically the same sort of ship, and fairly close, it's possible you guys might be asked which you'd prefer.

Richard.

 

[scubadada]

Just in case you get out to the area of the Duane, & the question comes up of Duane vs. Bibb, the former is upright and the latter on its side, a guide told me the Duane has consistently more fish life in his experience, and a captain told me that of the two the Bibb gets interesting after you have already done the Duane a few times. They are basically the same sort of ship, and fairly close, it's possible you guys might be asked which you'd prefer.

Richard.

Nobody had mentioned the Bibb, glad Richard did. The Bibb is a twin of the Duane. It rests on its starboard side in a little deeper water and has a deeper average dive depth as it doesn't have the higher profile of the superstructure and crow's nest like the Duane has. It definitely helps with orientation if one has several dives on the Duane prior to diving the Bibb. I would agree with most and say that the Bibb is a more advanced dive than the Spiegel Grove or the Duane. Not many operators go to the Bibb or very often. I dived the Bibb with the previous iteration of Silent World, I believe they still go there.

I haven't been down to Key Largo since I started diving Boynton Beach and Jupiter in 2009. I really have to get back down to dive some of my favorite wrecks. How can you go wrong with the Spiegle Grove, Duane, Bibb, and the Eagle?

 

[Steve_C]

Spiegel is a nice dive. I will give the nod to the Duane. Maybe because I hit it in perfect conditions. Almost zero current top to bottom and viz as far as you could see. We could go across deck up the tower and then gentle swim across to main tower. Good fish life. Big sharks out on the flats around the ship. On two dives max depth was 102 and 108. But most of the time was off the deck, up along the towers. We were able to swim up and off and a little above the bow and look back at the ship heading toward us and see stuff all around on the bottom. Awesome view.

 

[ScubaMarc]

Not sure if this was normal or not on the Duane, when I dove there we had the most wicked current. When we decended down the currents where so strong you had to take the current to from the stern to the bow. If you did not hold on, you would blow away. When we hit the wheelhouse we found protection from the current to stay a bit. Then the end of the dive we needed to find the line from the bow to the dive boat. The captain said you will not see the line, just take the current from the wheelhouse to to line using the current. Just fly like superman. The captain said do not miss the line or he will try to find You 2 miles off the wreck.

I have a video of the 15 foot hang, watch the air bubbles. My buddies and I are only 4 feet apart and the bubbles are going horizontal under the diver above.
Video

 

[CajunDiva]

I know what you mean! The first time we dove the Duane, the current was RIPPING...I could barely keep my mask on. Thanksgiving week we gave it another try and were blessed with the most perfect conditions I could imagine: zero current...viz seemed like forever. When conditions are like that, it's a GREAT dive. But the same applies to the Spiegel Grove. That wreck is absolutely awe-inspiring. I don't think I could choose one or the other - they are BOTH great.

 

[T.C.]

What is this current you speak of??? Both times I've been to the Duane...zero current. I actually did a free descent onto it my first dive- the viz was so good, we could see it from the surface. Not just the crow's nest, the whole wreck.

 

[sportxlh]

What is this current you speak of??? Both times I've been to the Duane...zero current. I actually did a free descent onto it my first dive- the viz was so good, we could see it from the surface. Not just the crow's nest, the whole wreck.

On one occasion I experienced the same: didn't even need the mooring line to descend. it was great. However I've also dove it when the current was so brisk divers almost looked like flags flapping while they held on for dear life with masks flooding. If divers didn't stay inches off the deck, they'd be blown off. I've also had dives cancelled because the current was practically pulling the mooring balls under. Most of my other dives had modest current: not too bad but something to be mindful of. S. Grove can experience similar conditions but has more places to hide behind to get out of the current.