What is the best recreational wreck dive in South Florida?

[Matteo]

my 2 personal favorites are the Eagle and the Thunderbolt...the tug off Lauderdale could be either the Donald or Peter McAllister??????

 

[hlsooner]

My vote is for Tenneco Towers. These old oil rigs sit pretty deep, about 125 ft to the sand, but the fish and invertebrate life surrounding the wreck is amazing.

 

[havnmonkey]

"I also enjoyed the Fin Barge off Bradenton, about 80 - 85 feet deep, it's huge and fun."




Walter do you mean the sugar barge right off the beach? Or is this another one? I have friends in Bradenton and might make a few more trips out there.

 

[The Chairman]

Hear, hear for the Benwood! I love it and the life around it.

 

[waterbearer]

The United Caribbean ain't the dive you remember and it ain't a tug, either. I still love it, but the hurricanes in 2004 tore it up and those of 2005 broke it in half. The stern section is alone and tossed on its side. The cargo hold (something missing from tugs) is pretty much flat on the bottom. The bow is still intact.

The Sea Emperor is a fun dive, but it's not much of a "wreck" dive.

It's a wreck alright... wrecked in half that is. It's still a cool dive and probably good for OW certs. I did it last week and you can swim through one part of the stern easily.

From www.divespots.com

"United Caribbean was scuttled near the wrecks Noula Express and Sea Emperor south of the Boca Raton Inlet and about a mile offshore. She lies slightly southeast of the Sea Emperor with a 500 foot trail of concrete debris creating a pathway between the two wrecks. The ship’s profile is to about 45 feet. Much of the sea life from the Sea Emperor has branched off and inhabited this wreck as well. Divers have spotted jacks, yellowtail and barracudas.

The cargo area and upper decks of United Caribbean are good spots for beginning wreck divers to explore. A door leads into the lower decks. The lower areas should be explored only by advanced, experienced wreck divers."

Someone mentioned the Spiegel but you have to be at least advanced to do that dive.

The Ancient Mariner is very cool and has some easy swim throughs.

 

[Jcsgt]

I like the Duane. She's a lovely wreck with a good deal of growth on her for the amount of time she's been down, IMO.

 

[musmach]

Ancient mariner, berry patch?

 

[Walter]

"I also enjoyed the Fin Barge off Bradenton, about 80 - 85 feet deep, it's huge and fun."




Walter do you mean the sugar barge right off the beach? Or is this another one? I have friends in Bradenton and might make a few more trips out there.

The Sugar Barge is about 15 (not 85) feet deep and is almost on the beach. The Fin Barge is miles off shore and much larger and mor intact. The Sugar Barge (The Regina) doesn't make my list of top wrecks in Florida.

It's a wreck alright... wrecked in half that is. It's still a cool dive and probably good for OW certs. I did it last week and you can swim through one part of the stern easily.

Yes, and I still enjoy it, but it's not the same wreck as before the hurricanes tore it apart.

Hear, hear for the Benwood! I love it and the life around it.

Me too, but it doesn't make my list of top wrecks either.

 

[waterbearer]

Yes, and I still enjoy it, but it's not the same wreck as before the hurricanes tore it apart.

I didn't get to dive it before...but I agree. I like it. My buddy got some good pictures and I'll post them when he emails them to me. I like the big pile of rocks too. We saw a HUGE moray on it last week. There's some feeding going on around there I'm guessing?

 

[TheRedHead]

Me too, but it doesn't make my list of top wrecks either.

What's your list of top wrecks, Walter? The Keys artifical reef wrecks are ok, but they are not heavily encrusted as I would like. Are there any intact wrecks which have sunk of their own accord?