Dive Sites Near Middle Key Largo

	Site Name	Dive Type	Difficulty	GPS	Max Depth	Map

1	Northern Light	Wreck	Tech ONLY	25°03.024 N 80°12.984 W	190'

	Built in 1888, the Northern Light was one of the first steel hulled steam freighters intended to be used in the Great Lakes. After several ownerships, the current owner wanted to make the ship an ocean going vessel but the ship was too big to sail through the locks system throughout the Great Lakes. The only way to move the ship was to have the rivets burned out that hold the ship together and the two pieces were successfully transported through the locks. Once reassembled and made seaworthy, the ship's new home was Mobile, Alabama. The new owner fell on hard times and decided to pull an insurance scam and lit the Northern Light and a few other ships on fire on August 16, 1927. The owner was caught and the ship was sold. The new owner removed the damaged portions and used the ship as a barge. On November 8, 1930, she was being towed in a heavy storm and broke free from the tow vessel. She sank in 200' of water splitting in two. Markers - None. Details - Her bow is upright with the anchor attached to the windlass and hanging on starboard side. The stern is upside down and is folded atop the midships where you'll spot a toilet sitting against the bulkhead. At about 145 from the surface, you'll come across her rudder which is turned hard to starboard. Marine Life - Bull and nurse sharks, snapper, grouper, pompano, barracuda, rays. Recommended Certifications - Technical diving.


2		Wreck	Advanced	25°04.003 N 80°18.012 W	130'

	The USS Spiegel Grove (LSD-32) is one of the largest artificial wrecks purposely sunk in the Florida Keys. She is 510 feet long with an overwhelming 84 foot beam and lies near Delta Shoal offshore of Key Largo, Florida. Built as a landing ship dock, she was named after the beautiful Ohio estate owned by President Rutherford B. Hayes. Commissioned June 8, 1956, she had a 40 foot deep well deck that was 170 feet long and 45 feet wide which carried and launched amphibious assault landing craft. She was capable of reaching speeds of 23 knots and had a troop capacity of 300. During her military career, the Spiegel Grove served throughout much of the world's theater helping to bring men and materials to governments needing U.S. assistance. Not only did she transport needed military aid, she was involved in covert operations, as well as rescue efforts. In 1971 she was involved in the rescue of the Apollo 14 crew. However, even illustrious careers must come to an end, and eventually she was retired to the Atlantic Reserve Fleet. On December 13, 1989 she was struck from the Naval Register and custody was transferred to the Maritime Administration. She laid up for several years in the National Defense Reserve Fleet in Virginia's James River. Then on June 13, 2001 her title was once again transferred, but this time to a non-military institution. She was now property of the State of Florida's Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission based out of Key Largo. On May 17, 2002 her journey prematurely ended, six miles off Key Largo in the Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary. What is odd about ships being prepared for scuttling is that many of them seem to do the job themselves. This means they don't sink where they were intended, or in the expected position. Instead of shallower water, and the preplanned perfect upright position, her 6 hour premature sinking changed all of man's best intentions. She sank in deeper water, and rolled over, settling upside down with her bow sticking out of the water. The problem facing everyone involved in the scuttling process was that they were dealing with a behemoth. Righting the Spiegel Grove was next to impossible. It took 3 weeks before a salvage team was even able to turn her enough so that she finally laid on her starboard side. Efforts continued over time in an attempt to upright her. However, her sheer size and weight, combined with the weight and friction of the deep water, made this goal unattainable. Man with all of his best efforts and intentions sometimes cannot compete with the strength and magnitude of mother nature's forces. In Florida, hurricanes are a fact of life and rarely if ever are they considered a blessing. Hurricane Dennis was a particularly destructive hurricane that reeked tremendous havoc and destruction on Florida's Panhandle. However, as it passed through the Florida Keys, it managed to do a good deed. With 20 foot pounding waves, and Category 3 winds, Hurricane Dennis lifted this massive vessel, placing her in the perfect upright position. This act of mother nature needs to be put into perspective. This ship's length is almost 2 football fields stacked end to end. Looking at the Spiegel Grove dive maps, it will help you comprehend the sheer size of the ship. Understanding her size, this also helps put into perspective the intense velocity and strength of Hurricane Dennis. Even though the water can be exceptionally clear, you absolutely cannot see the whole ship at once. She's simply too large. At a maximum depth of just over 130 feet, her superstructure rises to within 50 feet of the water's surface. Much of her surface rests between 80 and 90 feet. Markers - Moorings are tied to the boat itself so divers can navigate directly to the massive ship's hull. Details - The ship is in excellent condition, and serves as the basis for the artificial reef system. The ship's massive size is almost unfathomable, and requires a number of diving trips to become familiar with her. Marine Life - Over 130 species of fish including game and tropical. Large goliath groupers are seen hiding out in her holes, barracuda, snapper, shark, gobies, grouper, rays, ocean sponges, algae, and a large variety of coral. Recommended Certifications - Open Water, Advanced Open Water, Enriched Air (Nitrox), Boat, Deep, Drift, Multi-Level, Peak Performance Buoyancy, Wreck, Coral Reef Conservation.






3	Benwood	Wreck	Novice	25°03.144 N 80°19.930 W	48'

	Built in 1910 in Sunderland, England, this merchant marine freighter was 360 feet in length with a 31 foot beam. She was capable of speeds of 9.5 knots and carried a crew of 38. Even though her home port was Newcastle, England she was registered out of Norway, with a Norwegian Captain. During World War II she regularly plied the waters from Tampa, Florida to Norfolk, Virginia carrying ore for the military. Since this was war time, she also carried a small arsenal of weapons, including 12 rifles, 1 four-inch gun, 60 depth charges, and 36 bombs. However, her routine travels began to take on an aura of danger due to the possible threat of attack by German U-boats. To avoid detection and attack, it was beginning to be common practice for ships to be ordered to black out, and travel with their lights off. Under normal circumstances, maneuvering the waters off the Florida Keys is dangerous enough due to the coral reef structures. However, this danger is only compounded when you add in the threat of attack and being forced to travel without lights. Unfortunately, during the early morning hours of April 9, 1942, the inevitable happened. The Benwood was traveling north on her way to Norfolk. Heading south to Texas was the Robert C. Tuttle, a larger ship at 544 feet in length with a 70 foot beam. Both ships were traveling under black out orders. According to records, at 12:45 a.m., Captain Johansen of the Robert C. Tuttle was notified of a black object ahead. He sounded once with the whistle to indicate his intention of turning starboard. He did not get a response back. At 12:50, records show that the Benwood spotted a black object ahead. Captain Skjelbred sounded his whistle twice indicating he was turning to port. He did not get a response back. This is the classic case of two people walking towards each other, and both turning the same way to avoid colliding with one another. This is exactly what happened to the Benwood and the Tuttle. Without knowing it, they had set a collision course with destiny. Upon recognizing the error, the Benwood's Captain ordered her engines full astern, but her final attempt to escape impact was too late. When they hit, the force was so strong that it caused the Benwood's bow to smash into the Robert C. Tuttle's port side. With her bow crushed, the Benwood began too immediately take on water. In a last desperate attempt to save his ailing vessel, Captain Skjelbred turned her towards land in the hopes of grounding her. The turn caused her to take on water at an even faster rate, and after half an hour the Captain gave the order to abandon the doomed Benwood. The following day, the salvage crew from the Willet determined that the ship's keel was broken and that the ship was unsalvageable. On the other hand, the Robert C. Tuttle was repairable and not in any danger of sinking. The determination of this ship's fate brought about a massive salvage effort. Of immediate and prime importance was her cargo, which was ore needed by the military. The end result of the salvage efforts have left this ship stripped, torn apart, and scattered over a broad debris field. In fact, salvage efforts continued into the 1950's where eventually the top portion of the ship was removed, leaving only the bilge section. The ongoing salvage of this ship, and the destruction this caused, finally prompted action. In 1959, the John Pennekamp Coral Reef State Park developed a program that would protect the remains of the Benwood Wreck. Subsequently, due to boundary expansions, and the formation of the Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary, she now resides in protected waters. Markers - Four mooring buoys for divers to descend, 1 marker buoy. Details - Currents are mild to moderate. Diving into the wreck is not possible, but there are numerous holes, nooks and crannies that can be peered into and inspected. If you're planning on scuba diving Key Largo and this is your first time out, this is a fantastic first dive site. Marine Life - Numerous varieties of stony and gorgonian coral, including fire coral, elkhorn coral, star coral, brain coral, sea fans, sea whips. Assortment of other marine life including red sponges, parrotfish, moray eels, grouper, grunt, snook, lobster, barracuda, yellow tail snapper, trumpet fish, nurse shark, hog fish, and angelfish. Recommended Certifications - Open Water, Advanced Open Water, Enriched Air (Nitrox), Boat, Drift, Multi-Level, Peak Performance Buoyancy, Wreck, Coral Reef Conservation.




4	French Reef	Reef	Novice - Intermediate	25°02.360 N 80°21.270 W	100'

	This reef is popular for it's unusual structures which include numerous swim throughs, tunnels, caves, ledges and cliffs. This area is also less affected by current but that also means the visibility may not be as good as other reefs. Markers - 17 F buoys. Details - The water here is not the typical blue, instead it runs a more greenish hue over the reef. Within the 15 - 40' depth range, divers will find the majority of swim throughs, tunnels, cliffs and limestone caves. Lighting is advisable on this dive if you're interested in exploring these regions. The current is usually fine but can be occasionally strong. When this happens it can make for good drift diving along the numerous ledges. The northernmost buoy has an interesting north running trench and at the south end of the reef is the Hourglass Cave. This is split into 2 by an hourglass shaped column. In the middle of the reef is the largest cave, the White Sand Bottom Cave. The Christmas Tree Cave is located about 50' from F3 buoy and is also very popular. This 20' tunnel is 4' high and derives it's name from the tall star coral mound rising over the top of the cave. Marine Life - Staghorn, elkhorn, boulder, fire, star and brain coral, nurse, hammerhead and reef sharks, grunts, moral eels, goliath grouper, copper sweepers, and sea turtles are near the caves, manta and eagle rays, snook, permit, yellowtail, and numerous tropical fish species, with large ocean sponges and coral heads at deeper locations. Recommended Certifications - Open Water, Advanced Open Water, Enriched Air (Nitrox), Boat, Deep, Drift, Multi-Level, Peak Performance Buoyancy, Coral Reef Conservation.

5	White Bank Dry Rocks	Reef	Novice	25°02.330 N 80°22.280 W	25'

	This reef offers some very shallow areas for snorkelers. Markers - No marker. Details - White Bank Dry Rocks is a good place to explore. It's also excellent for those who just want to spend time snorkeling in the Florida Keys with the family, plus it's a popular scuba diving training site. This is also called White Banks North and South because of the 2 shallow patch reefs which are joined by a sandy channel. Marine Life - Numerous tropical fish including angelfish, damselfish, parrotfish, and colorful varieties of coral including elkhorn, staghorn, brain, star. Recommended Certifications - Open Water, Advanced Open Water, Enriched Air (Nitrox), Boat, Drift, Peak Performance Buoyancy, Coral Reef Conservation.

6	Windlass Wreck	Wreck	Novice	25°1.000 N 80°22.530 W	25'

	The Windlass Wreck gets her name from her highly photographed 10 foot long iron winch located at Molasses Reef. This, along with some ballast, mast pieces, and a few of her gears are the few remnants you'll discover. This 170 foot, 3 masted wood schooner is actually the remains of the 1,100 ton Austrian Slobodna which sank in 1887, 3 years after being built. Two factors were critical in her eventual sinking. First she had grounded on one of the Florida reefs. The repetitive motion of waves and tide continually pressed the ship against the sharp coral. This in turn caused lacerations to form in her wooden hull. The second important factor was her cargo. She was returning to Reval which is now Tallinn in Estonia after a visit to New Orleans and her cargo was 4,500 bales of cotton. Of course cotton is very good at absorbing moisture, and once the water began to seep in, the cotton began to expand. Not only did the cotton increase in size, it increased in weight. This caused the ship's sides to bulge. Between the outward pressure being exercised on her damaged hull, and the extra weight she was now holding, the ship finally broke and sank. Markers - Between mooring buoy 7 and mooring buoy 8. Details - Mostly disintegrated except for the winch, masts, and a few gears. Marine Life - Molasses Reef is one of the most dived reefs due to the extensive coral and marine life. Brain, elkhorn, boulder, and star coral, sea fans, sea whips, red rope sponges, barrel sponges, angelfish, grouper, yellowtail, sea turtles, spiny lobster, crabs, parrotfish, blue tang, moray eels, sharks, spotted eagle rays. Recommended Certifications - Open Water, Advanced Open Water, Enriched Air (Nitrox), Boat, Drift, Peak Performance Buoyancy, Wreck, Coral Reef Conservation.


7	Molasses Reef	Reef	Novice - Intermediate	25°00.720 N 80°22.830 W	90'

	This reef area is home to over 600 different species of flora and fauna and is considered one of the best, if not the best dive site in the world. This reef also has somewhat of a mystery surrounding it's name. The story goes that a barge or ship carrying the sugary compound grounded near this reef providing it with this sticky, sweet name. For 60 years this ship's true identity was unknown - she was simply referred to as the Molasses Wreck. However, in 2000 it was finally determined that she was the Vitric. The Austrian Slobodna also ran aground with her cargo of cotton bales. It's this wreck's winch that is seen and marked at buoy M8. The Slobodna is often referred to as the Windlass Wreck because of this prominent remnant. Markers - Lighted 45' steel tower, mooring buoys M1-M25 identify the snorkeling area, and M21-M23 mark the deeper dive areas. Details - Named after a barge that was carrying a load of the black sugary compound when it supposedly grounded here. The reef is a very good example of a well defined spur and groove formation and is considered the world's most popular dive site. Deep Molasses is one of the reefs most popular features. The outer edges provide good drift diving opportunity. At buoy M8 you'll find the Slobodna wreck's winch, and buoys M11 and M12 mark the spot where the reef was badly damaged by the 1984 Wellwood wreck. Marine Life - Extremely colorful reef with over 600 species of flora and fauna, including massive coral heads rising from the ocean floor. Lobster, crabs, filefish, grouper, yellowtail, barracuda, jacks, permit, blue tang, silvery snook, angelfish, sea turtles, parrotfish, wrasse, grunt, shark, cleaning shrimp, rope and vase sponges plus moray eel hide out in the caves and ledges. Recommended Certifications - Open Water, Advanced Open Water, Enriched Air (Nitrox), Boat, Drift, Multi-Level, Peak Performance Buoyancy, Coral Reef Conservation.


8		Wreck	Advanced	24°59.710 N 80°22.770 W	130'

	The USCGC Bibb (WPG-31) was built in 1937 and was part of the United States Coast Guard's "combat cutters" named for secretaries of the United States Treasury. Bibb was named after the 17th US Secretary of the Treasury George M. Bibb (July 4, 1844 - March 7, 1845). These steel hulled cutters were 327 feet in length, with a 41 foot beam, and were capable of cruising at 20 knots. They carried a normal compliment of 200 men plus one seaplane. During non-war times, they also carried an arsenal of 2 five inch 51 caliber guns, 2 quadruple machine gun anti-aircraft batteries, 2 six pounders, and 1 one pounder gun. During war, their armor and guns were substantially increased. In 1939, the Bibb began to multi-task as she was called in to perform a variety of duties. She served a 3 month stint with the Navy, she also patrolled the Grand Banks, and then she joined a destroyer squadron to help protect ships traveling through the Atlantic. In 1940 she lead the way with the Atlantic Weather Patrol and served in this capacity until September 11, 1941. Under Executive Order, she was transferred to the Navy in an agreement between the Chief of Naval Operations and the Commandant of the Coast Guard. On this date, she, the USCGC Duane, the USCGC Spencer and the USCGC Hamilton joined three other sister ships already serving in this new capacity. One of her many notable events revolved around a U-boat attack on the eastbound slow convoy SC-118. These convoys were merchants ships traveling under armed escort. Both the Bibb and her sister ship the USCGC Ingham were traveling with a British escort force to protect the SC-118 slow convoy as they crossed the Atlantic. Part of the group was the SS Henry Mallory, who was transporting American military to Iceland. On board, she carried 77 crew members, 34 Navy gunners, 136 American soldiers, 172 American sailors and 72 American marines. For several days of the crossing, the Mallory had been lagging behind, and each day her distance from the rest of the convoy grew. Not only did she fail to maintain speed with the rest of the convoy, she wasn't employing the normal criss-cross pattern used to avoid detection by the U-boats. Noticing their opportunity, a German U-boat torpedoed the vessel, severely damaging it. In the resulting chaos, the soldiers and crew jumped overboard in an attempt to avoid death. However, they were now in the frigid waters of the North Atlantic where hypothermia soon over powered those not in lifeboats. With no distress signals or alerts issued, none of the convoy ahead knew of the Mallory's fate. Fortunately several crew aboard the Bibb sighted a lifeboat from the crippled Mallory, and immediately alerted Captain Raney. Disregarding orders to stay with the rest of the ships, Captain Raney turned his cutter back and came upon the scene of the disaster. The carnage was incredible. Bodies and body parts were everywhere. Wood, empty life jackets, clothes, packages, upside down life boats, and all sorts of debris floated on the water. Realizing that hypothermia was a serious factor facing those still alive in the water, many of the Bibb's crew took action. With disregard to personal safety, these brave crew members entered the water in an effort to accelerate the recovery process. Due to their courage, and dedication, they managed to save 202 of the 498 personnel on board the Mallory. The Bibb's sister ship, the Ingham, arrived later and was able to retrieve an additional 33. The rescue efforts of the USCGC Bibb didn't end here however. While en route back to the convoy, she came across another freighter that had been torpedoed. The SS Kalliopi had just been attacked, and the Bibb was again instrumental in saving another 33 lives from the frigid Atlantic waters. By 1944 the U-boats were no longer a dangerous threat in the Atlantic, so the Navy moved her fleet of 327's to a new arena. Converted for amphibious landings, the 327's were now considered AGC's or command and control vessels. This meant their heavy armaments were removed, and more anti-aircraft weapons were installed. The ships were also refitted with enclosed rooms to house 35 radio receivers and 25 radio transmitters. The USCGC George M. Bibb underwent her conversion from October 17, 1944 through January 29, 1945. After leaving Charleston Navy Yard, she was assigned to the Pacific theater where she participated in the assault on Okinawa. During the Pacific war, numerous attacks were made upon her without consequence. On the other hand, she received credit for her successful shooting of a Japanese aircraft. After WW II, she and her sister 327's were refitted for peace time. The majority of her heavy armaments were removed, except for the addition of a 40 mm anti-aircraft battery, a 5 inch 38 caliber main battery, and a mousetrap anti-submarine armament. It was during this time of peace, while stationed out of Boston, that another notable life saving event occurred. It was October 13, 1947 and the Boeing 314 Flying Clipper Boat, the Bermuda Sky Queen, was traveling from Ireland to Newfoundland. As the winds increased, Captain Martin realized he would not be able to reach land. His next goal was to land his craft as close to a Coast Guard vessel as possible to facilitate rescue. The USCGC Bibb, serving as a weather ship, was the vessel that came to the plane's aid. With high seas, it took several days before the 62 passengers plus crew were eventually pulled to safety. Over the years she continued her various duties in the Atlantic. She also appeared in the 1952 film "Walk East on Beacon" at the film's climactic end. Then on July 4, 1968, she was sent to patrol the waters off Vietnam, where she served with Coast Guard Squadron One. She remained in these waters until February 28, 1969 when she returned to her home port of Boston. On September 30, 1985, after a 50 year illustrious career, the USCGC Bibb was decommissioned. Two years later, both her and USCGC Duane were purchased by Monroe County, to be included as part of their Florida Keys Artificial Reef program. To ready her for her final mission, the prepping process began. She was cleaned, and her mast, armaments and hatches were removed. After the Army Corps of Engineers authorized the final resting place, the USCGC Bibb was scuttled November 28, 1987, one day after the Duane. Markers - 1 mooring buoy at northeast corner with another just southeast of that. Details - One of the more beautiful Key Largo diving sites with good spur and coral formation on this ridge, colorful coral, and numerous tropical fish. Marine Life - Stony and gorgonian coral, large coral heads, elephant ear sponges, angelfish, yellowtails, shrimp, vast variety of other tropical and game fish. Recommended Certifications - Open Water, Advanced Open Water, Enriched Air (Nitrox), Boat, Deep, Drift, Multi-Level, Peak Performance Buoyancy, Wreck, Coral Reef Conservation.


9		Wreck	Advanced	24°59.388 N 80°22.888 W	120'

	Built in 1936, the USCGC Duane (WPG-33) was part of the United States Coast Guard's "combat cutters" named for secretaries of the United States Treasury. The Duane was named after the 11th US Secretary of the Treasury William J. Duane (May 29, 1833 - September 22, 1833). Like her sister ships, she was 327 feet long with a 41 foot beam, and had a top running speed of 20 knots. She was also outfitted with three 5-inch guns, three 3-inch guns, fourteen 40-mm and eight 20-mm guns. Originally based out of Oakland, California, she was eventually transferred to the Atlantic in 1939 serving with Destroyer Division 18 on Grand Banks patrol. She then went on to weather station duty, and eventually to surveying the coast of Greenland to look for places to establish airfields. She was eventually returned to Boston, and from September 19 - November 15, 1940 she was refitted with extra anti-aircraft weapons as well as depth charge racks and projectors. Then on September 11, 1941, under Executive Order, she, the USCGC Bibb, the USCGC Spencer and the USCGC Hamilton joined 3 other sister ships who had already been transferred to the Chief of Naval Operations. Vessels making their journey across the Atlantic to the Mediterranean or through the waters of the Caribbean were prime targets German U-boats. To help protect the merchant convoys that were moving personnel, equipment and other goods, these 327 cutters became part of an armed escort fleet. It was during WW II that her crew was routinely called upon to help those in need. From February 3 - 6, 1943 her crew was involved in an amazing rescue effort involving the Dorchester. This was an incredible incident where the Dorchester had been attacked after midnight by a German U-boat. The Duane and USCGC Tampa arrived on the scene, along with several other ships. The two cutters went into protection mode while also helping with search and rescue efforts. However the situation was complicated by several factors. It was dark, the water was frigid, and there was the ongoing, very real fear of being attacked by U-boats. The men in the water were rapidly dying from hypothermia. They were unable to help with their own rescue as their numb bodies were unable to grasp onto the life lines thrown to them. The only way to save those still alive, was to employ a new form of rescue. Coast guardsmen dressed in rubber suits, entered the frigid water, and then brought the injured and dying men to safety. The whole operation was cumbersome and dangerous, but eventually they were able to rescue 250 of the crew who'd been aboard the Dorchester. Just a few months later, on April 17, her sister ship, the Spencer, detected a German U-boat trying to infiltrate the convoy they were escorting. The Spencer dropped depth charges onto the submarine and ordered the Duane to take over the contact. The Duane began to search the indicated area and 30 minutes later the U-boat surfaced about 1.5 miles away. The Spencer began to fire upon the U-boat, and the Duane sped towards the sub, waiting until she had a clear shot before opening fire. The 2 cutter's fired for approximately 7 minutes until the German crew began to jump ship. Both the USCGC Duane and the Spencer then began their rescue efforts with the Duane pulling 22 of the Germans aboard. Within 25 minutes of the final survivor being rescued, the German sub sank. As the war progressed, the Navy realized that the threat from U-boats was substantially declining and that her fleet of 327's could be used more effectively. The Duane entered the Norfolk Navy Yard and from January 16 - March 6, 1944 was refitted into an amphibious force flagship. As an AGC, she would be used for amphibious landings, and so her heavy armament was removed and replaced with additional anti-aircraft weapons. They also enclosed rooms to house 35 radio receivers and 25 radio transmitters. Once her transformation was complete, the Duane served as the flagship for the commander of the 8th Amphibious Force. Barely 2 months after D-Day, on August 15, 1944, she entered the European theater as part of Operation Dragoon, which continued the invasion of southern France. When the war was finally over, she was once again refitted - this time serving as a weather observation ship. It was during this period, that on May 4, 1957, she responded to the SS Bornholm's distress call. This was a Finnish merchant vessel that was taking on water 130 miles north of a weather station manned by the Duane. The 327 made it to the vessel in time, and was successful in saving all 27 crew on board, before the Finnish ship sank 30 minutes later. She carried out her latest role until she was returned to active duty in the Vietnam war as part of Operation Market Time. On December 4, 1967 she was assigned to Coast Guard Squadron Three of Vietnam. Her mission was to intersect supplies and arms being smuggled to the Viet Cong and to provide gun support to ground forces in need. As part of her duties, her crew was responsible for boarding and inspecting ships in the area suspected of carrying contraband. Her first day in the theater began with a true bang. She was immediately called upon to provide gunfire support and for 30 minutes she fired 70 rounds of 5-inch ammunition from her main battery. Her actions resulted in the destruction of 1 enemy command post, 5 bunkers, 2 tunnels and 36 fortified foxholes. On her last patrol, July 4, 1968 she was in the Bo De River area and here she fired her 1,776th round of ammunition. In total, during her time "in country" she had been responsible for inspecting 338 steel hulled and 5,211 wooden hulled vessels as well as the boarding of 32 vessels. The duties this ship performed are illustrious and varied. As such, she was rewarded with the moniker "Queen of the Squadron", which during her next decade, changed to "Queen of the Fleet". Upon returning to her native waters, she was tasked with a variety of non-military duties, which eventually led to her involvement in the war on drugs. Her career came close to ending in the late 1970's until Congress realized they needed additional coverage off the coast of Maine. To prepare her for more service she underwent a major overhaul and refurbishing. In 1980, she was en route to intercede with the Mariel boatlift, but on the way, she encountered several vessels in distress requiring rescue. She also came to the aid of the DC-3 that had crashed in the waters off the Bahamas, only to find that no one had survived the disaster. Eventually she made her way to Cuba, and once she arrived, she quickly became the command post and flagship running the operation. On April 1, 1982, the USCGC Duane became the oldest cutter on active duty. In keeping with a USCGC tradition, her hull numbers were painted in gold, and a plaque was placed below her bridge that read: "Cutter Duane proudly sails as the Nation's oldest active commissioned naval vessel." Even though she was successful in her role of saving lives, and in her continued war on drugs, her new honor was short-lived. She had become old, and she was fast on the road to becoming obsolete. Many of the parts she needed for various repairs were no longer available, or in production. Maintaining her was becoming impossible as well as very expensive. Finally the decision had to be made, and on August 1, 1985 she was decommissioned. The history she helped shape, and the lives she saved are just part of what makes diving this wreck so special. Not only was her service above water exemplary, she shines below in her new role as an artificial reef. The gold numbers she once proudly sported, are nothing compared to the brilliant colors of coral and sponges encrusting her steel hulled form. Markers - Buoy at bow and stern. Details - Strong currents. Half mile from sister ship Bibb. Bow points southeast. Duane is intact and upright in an average 118'. Marine Life - Barracuda, schools of grunts, grouper, wrasse, sea turtles, damselfish, cobia, goliath grouper, butterflyfish, amberjack, yellowtail, angelfish, nurse shark, sponge, fire coral, star coral, finger coral, cup coral, sea fans, sea plumes. Recommended Certifications - Open Water, Advanced Open Water, Enriched Air (Nitrox), Boat, Deep, Drift, Multi-Level, Peak Performance Buoyancy, Wreck, Coral Reef Conservation.



10	Pickles Reef	Reef	Novice - Intermediate	24°59.260 N 80°24.840 W	30'

	Also called the Pickle Barrel Reef, this reef is home to a civil war wreck. It's once heavy cargo of barrels filled with cement have turned into concrete tubes. These heavy cylinders litter the sandy ocean bottom and are now encrusted with marine life, including massive pillar coral. Markers - 7 mooring buoys in the area, primarily to the south and then to the east/northeast of the reef. Details - Snapper Ledge is located at 25' and is named for the massive number of yellowtail snapper that frequent the area. Marine Life - 6' - 10' high pillar coral, purple sea fans, queen conch, snapper, sea fans, good variety of game and tropical fish. Recommended Certifications - Open Water, Advanced Open Water, Enriched Air (Nitrox), Boat, Drift, Peak Performance Buoyancy, Coral Reef Conservation.

11	Pickle Barrel Wreck	Wreck	Novice - Intermediate	24°59.170 N 80°24.940 W	30'

	This Civil War wreck is positioned about 2.5 miles off Molasses Reef at a patch reef now called Pickles. This vessel had been traveling south, carrying a large cargo of cement in pickle barrel containers. Since it was during the Civil War, it's thought she was most likely delivering these supplies to the Dry Tortugas and Fort Jefferson which was being built. It's also possible that she may have even been en route to Key West to bring the cement to either the East Martello or West Martello Tower as they were also under construction. We don't know what happened when she hit the coral reef, whether she sank immediately or slowly took on water. However, the end result was that she and her cargo eventually went under. The wood barrels that held the cement weren't water proof, and so the inevitable happened. The water mixed with the cement and formed concrete. As the years passed, the barrels eroded and what was left were the perfectly shaped concrete cylinders you'll find in the area. The vessel's numerous remains are scattered over this wreck diving site, at about 15 feet in depth. Markers - 3 mooring buoys. Details - With a depth ranging from 6 - 30 feet, both the wreck and the reef present a variety of opportunities for anyone or snorkeling. You'll find that the numerous ledges, nooks and crannies have become the perfect hiding spot for a variety of marine life including spiny lobster, and eel. Marine Life - Pillar coral and other varieties of gorgonian coral, sea fans, nurse shark, sea fans, ocean sponges, spiny lobster, crab, queen conch, angelfish, parrotfish, blue tang, barracuda, yellowtail, green moray eel. Recommended Certifications - Open Water, Advanced Open Water, Enriched Air (Nitrox), Boat, Drift, Peak Performance Buoyancy, Wreck, Coral Reef Conservation.

12	Vitric	Wreck	Tech Only	24°58.030 N 80°18.980 W	300'

	The Vitric was originally built in 1911. She was a wooden schooner barge with a stern deckhouse, and was 165 feet long with a 36 foot beam. Little is known of this ship's past, in fact her identity wasn't even determined until March 2000. Due to extreme depth at 300 feet, and a variable current which can range from none to strong, she's also one of the rarely explored Florida Keys wreck diving sites. History does not reveal the reason behind her sinking in March, 1944, but we do know what cargo she carried. In fact her cargo gave her the temporary name, Molasses Wreck, that she went by for over 60 years. It may also have provided one of the most famous Key Largo diving spots with it's name - Molasses Reef. If you have the technical certification required to descend to her chilly depths, you'll find the molasses containers positioned on her port and starboard sides. Other than these containers, nothing much is left of the Molasses wreck. When diving this site, divers will find scattered bits and pieces of wood, the occasional porthole, her windlass, and small pieces of machinery and fittings. Markers - None. Details - Current can be varied. Hull is absent, bits and pieces of equipment scatter the wreck area. Marine Life - Barracuda, snapper, grouper, pompano, amberjacks, shark, rays, tarpon. Recommended Certifications - Technical diving.

	Reef and Fish Cards
	Since there are thousands of different species of fish and coral, these ID cards will help you identify what you see under the ocean.

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