Wrecks in the Keys...

[wilderydude83]

My girlfriend and I are going to be making multiple trips this summer to the Keys and I was just wondering which wrecks are the best. We're novice divers and don't want to exceed the 60'. I went to divespots.com and browsed and found a few but I figured I'd ask you guys. I really want to know the good ones. Thanks!

Randall

 

[BKP]

The Benwood would be perfect for you. It's only about 50' at its deepest, and has a fabulous plethora of life living in and around it. It also makes a great night dive, when you can see parrot fish in their bubbles, lobster fluoresce in your lights, and nurse sharks. There's only smashed hull left, so it's not a penetration dive (which wouldn't be appropriate as new divers anyway).

The Spiegel, Duane, and Bibb or all good dives, however, much deeper than you're looking for, and the current can sometimes be challenging for new divers.

Another shallow wreck you might try is the City of Washington. Also, lots of life, and very doable for you and your gf.

 

[keyshunter]

AFAIK there are no Keys wrecks at 60' or less that can be penetrated. The COW, Benwood, Alexander and Joe's Tug come to mind, but they are rubble. The best reef diving in the Keys is probably in or near Pennecamp, but the good wrecks are much deeper than your limit. If you are interested in diving wrecks, you really should first get some dive experience and then take an advanced course so that you become comfortable with dives beyond 60'.

 

[2 Big 2 Fail]

We're planning our first trip late spring, but I'll pass along a book that seems likely to be very useful in selecting sites. Florida Keys Dive Guide, the 2003 revised edition. Aerial, elevation, and artistic oblique elevation depictions of reef sites and wrecks with mooring positions and dive routes. If someone has compared the book with reality, come ahead and comment, but I was pretty knocked out at how useful this looks compared to plain photo and text descriptions. Usual caveats that wreck conditions change, and new wrecks have been sunk since 2003.

What I liked was that we are looking for shallow dives, and reef descriptions often just say things like 3m to 30m, and the Guide shows you what you'll see or miss on each site according to depth. Cheap used from Half.com or Amazon and $20 new from Amazon. Caution at Half.com so you don't end up with the old 1998 edition.

A look inside at:
Amazon.com: The Florida Keys Dive Guide, Revised Edition (0735738079232): Stephen Frink, William Harrigan: Books

 

[Buoyant1]

The Benwood is a great dive! You can probably get to 50' towards the front on the sand so it's definitely in recreational limits!

I've also done Flagler's Barge which is at about 24-25 ft is decent, small, but heavily encrusted with life!!! IT's a rarity off of Marathon (I did it on a wreck course)

Another one that has wreck remnants is Delta Shoals. Parts of something are all over the site. I did this one from Key Largo...


Other than that, I think City of Washington is about the only other one that's recreational depth....at least wrecks that I've heard of, and dive ops visit regularly.

 

[Garrobo]

Most of the shallow "wrecks" are pretty much a pile of rubble and a waste of time. You have to go to 100 feet to see the good ones like the Speigle Grove, Duane and Bibb, etc. off of Largo and the Eagle off of Islamorada. If you have more than 25 dives you shouldn't have any problem diving any of these wrecks. I don't see much difference in diving to 100' compared to 60' anyway. If you have a personal problem with the depth I would suggest that you hook up with a dive shop that puts a DM in the water with you at no extra charge so you can enjoy the deeper dives without worrying about it.

 

[LakeCountyDiver]

Well you already know about the wreck situation in the keys if I may I would suggest some of the reef dives. They are awsome in there own right. Just because you may like wrecks the reefs there can offer up some pretty cool diving everywhere from 20 to 50 ft. Florida has the 3rd largest barrier reef in the world.

Edit: Yes as Halemano has stated below they are not in Pennecamp. They are 4 miles off shore. You will need a charter boat.

 

[MauiScubaSteve]

The best reef diving in the Keys is probably in or near Pennecamp, but the good wrecks are much deeper than your limit.

Welcome to John Pennekamp Coral Reef State Park - Key Largo, Florida Keys

If you go to the Pennekamp Activities page (linked above) you will not find diving on that list of activities.

If you click on the "FAQ" and scroll down a bit you will find

"How deep are the reefs? How far offshore are they?
The reefs are located between 3 and 8 miles offshore off the coast of the Florida Keys. Snorkeling tours will typically go to one of the inner reefs. These areas are protected and are shallow; average depth ranges from 5 to 15 feet. The glass bottom boat tour takes you to Molasses Reef which is further offshore, about 6.5 miles; average depth is about 10 to 30 feet. Scuba Tour Depths range from 30 to 45 feet."

Since Pennekamp is a State Park and State waters only extend 3 miles off shore, I think you will find very, very few dive sites in Pennekamp.

 

[Jim Lapenta]

I have to disagree with ow and 25 dives being ok for the deeper wrecks in the keys. First of all no reputable op will even take you to them without an aow, documented recent experience on deep dives, or in conjunction with a course. They will check c cards and log books. The Grove, Duane, bibb, and Eagle wrecks can be calm as millpond or have ripping currents on them that the avg ow diver will not be able to deal with. And while there are a few features in the 50-60 ft range there are not many. Most of the good stuff IMO is in the 60-100ft range. There are no scuba cops that will bust you for exceeding your recommended limits. But as I said no op will allow you to do those dives as they should not and not knowing how you may react to narcosis, strong currents, and a possible blue water ascent if you get blown off the wreck, don't pay attention to anyone who says you'll be fine. Especially if they don't know you. Like a trust me dive that kind of advice can get you hurt or worse.

 

[PatW]

Like others, I would highly recommend the Benwood. It is a pretty shallow wreck. It has a bunch of sea life attached to it. It also has schooling fish around it. The sea life at the wreck had a really good diversity also. It is fun to dive.

It is not "rubble" as some maintain. It was a "natural" wreck. It went down in 1942. So it was never cleared of obstructions. So it is not something that would be suitable for "penetration". Penetration of a wreck is not for the untrained. If you had that level of training and skill, you would probably be hitting the famous deep water wrecks. However, the ship itself is still recognizeable as a ship. So it is not without interest.

It is also in shallow water and did not have significant currents when I dove it.