Wreck Diving
South Florida has tons of wrecks mostly sunk as part of the artificial reef program. Sinking these wrecks provides a home for many fish and corals which begin to occupy their new home very quickly, providing scuba divers with an incredibly beautiful diving experience. Most of these wrecks are recreational dive friendly, which means you do not have to be a certified technical diver to enjoy them. The following is a list of what seems to be the most popular of these wrecks. If you are interested in diving any or all of these wrecks, please contact me with dates, number of divers, certification level and I will arrange the dives for you. Again, this is a small example of the many wonderful wreck sites which await you! Get your dive on!
Sea Emperor: This is a barge which sits in a maximum of 70 feet to the sand in Boca Raton. It had concrete culverts on it when it was sunk which caused it to sort of cantilever and create a 2nd site to explore as the culverts slipped off the barge and onto the sand.
Ancient Mariner: This is a cool tug which was once a floating restaurant and was sunk in Deerfield Beach. It has a great deal of growth on it which attracts all sorts of animals and it sits in 70 feet in the sand.
SS Copenhagen: This is a great dive site for beginner divers as it is very shallow at 25 to 30 feet in Pompano Beach. It is a natural wreck as it hit the Pompano Beach reef system in 1900 while hauling coal. It has totally integrated into the reef system and has created a beautiful dive.
Jay Scutti: This wreck is 95′ long and sits upright with the bow pointing north, in Ft. Lauderdale. The Scutti is one of 4 wrecks in a line. The Pride is to the south and the Tracey and Merci Jesus are to the north. She is encrusted with invertebrates, sponges, hydroids and tunicates making this a favorite wreck for herbivorous fish like parrots. She sits 72 feet in the sand.
“Wreck Trek Pompano”: This is a 3-wreck drift dive which includes Jay Dorman, Alpha & Quallman Tugs, all in 72 to 80 feet to the sand.
For you Advanced and Nitrox certified divers there are the following:
Captain Dan: The Captain Dan is a 175′ long Coast Guard Tender and sits in Pompano Beach. The bow points south and the ship is standing at attention upright at 110′. The top of the wheelhouse is around 80′. The Dan is covered with fish. You never know what you will see here, there has been 2 whale shark sightings here, a day and a year apart. Large barracuda, grouper, amberjack, and other schools of fish frequent this wreck.
Lady Luck: The Lady Luck is 324 ft. long, 50 ft wide tanker that rises to nearly to 60 from the surface at her mast. You will notice on your descent the Lady Luck logo on each side of her stack, welcoming you to the world’s first underwater casino! Artist Dennis McDonald has created a larger than life size casino on the deck with octopus dealers, slot machines and card sharks alike. You can swim down find an open seat at a table and gamble on a great photo opportunity. Be careful your dealer may be a little fishy! The ship’s web of pipes and structures makes for a great fish haven and back drop. Stop by the bridge for a panoramic view of the ship. She sits in 130 feet to the sand in Pompano Beach.
Miller Lite: Freighter class ship, 206′ long sitting upright with the bow pointing SE. Because of the ships close proximity to Hillsboro inlet it is teaming with fish. Large schools of fish are usually covering the wreckage. The ship is still fairly intact. Watch out for monofilament! Although this ship has some access at recreational limits, more advanced training is recommended. Located in Pompano Beach she is in 100 to 165 feet.