Florida Keys shipwrecks

[FARMHAND]

Going on a week long diving charter to the wrecks of the Florida Keys next week on the GULF STREAM EAGLE out of Jupiter. Would like to hear from local divers as to the best wrecks to dive, NOT including the artificial junk, i.e., BIBB, DUANE, SPIEGEL GROVE, et al. Any GPS numbers? Thanks.

Frank Farmer
Long Beach, CA
http://home.earthlink.net/~aadiver

 

[dagodiver]

I will try and help but you need to give a depth range.
I prefer the ones less traveled but that also means alittle deeper.


Mike.

 

[Bob3]

Hi Frank,
You may want to grab ahold of Barney's book, "Shipwrecks of the Sunshine State: Florida's Submerged History"
http://uwex.us/shipwreckbook.htm
Got lots of goodies in there.

 

[FARMHAND]

I will try and help but you need to give a depth range.
I prefer the ones less traveled but that also means alittle deeper.


Mike.

Due to the fact we're limited to single 80's and are not into deco diving, I'd say 100 fsw max. If weather 86's the Keys, we'll be diving Bahamian wrecks. Robert Marx has given us some GPS #'s in that neck of the diving woods.

 

[TheAlphaMag]

I just got my cert in Marathon this month. A few guys who were on the same charter while I was doing my checkout dives were talking about 'The Thunderbolt'. I think it was a lightning research vessel. Its at 120', so I couldn't dive it with my OW C-card. I'm sure I'll be back there

Its off the ocean-side of marathon, btw.

 

[wreckvalle]

Check out
http://www.aquaexplorers.com/florida_keys_shipwrecks.htm
For details and images of shipwrecks in the Florida Keys

 

[Walter]

I just got my cert in Marathon this month. A few guys who were on the same charter while I was doing my checkout dives were talking about 'The Thunderbolt'. I think it was a lightning research vessel. Its at 120', so I couldn't dive it with my OW C-card. I'm sure I'll be back there

Its off the ocean-side of marathon, btw.

It was a cable layer and it is an artificial wreck.

 

[The Chairman]

The man only wants screamers! I can dig that!

 

[Walter]

I understand it as well, screamers are usually better wrecks, but that's not always the case, the Eagle is a notable exception. Historically, screamers are more interesting.

 

[The Chairman]

The fake wrecks can be fun to dive, but they just don't give me the goosebumps a screamer does. FWIW, one of my favorite wrecks is the Ben Wood. Everytime I dive it, I feel the angst from the sailors trying to get into port before she... ooopsies. Now another drama begins as they unload her and then smash her to smithereens to keep the area safe for boats. The best part? She is SHALLOW. What a cool wreck.