USS Spiegel Grove Wreck Dive

The Spiegel Grove is a former Navy dock landing ship, about 510 feet long, that was sunk on purpose off Key Largo in 2002 to create an artificial reef. The sinking did not go entirely to plan, because the ship rolled and settled upside down before being turned upright by Hurricane Dennis in 2005, and it now rests on its keel in roughly 130 feet of water with the highest structures about sixty feet below the surface. It is one of the largest vessels ever sunk as a dive site, and the scale is the attraction: huge open decks, a towering superstructure, cargo spaces and a bridge, all coated in sponges, coral and fish that have taken over the steel.

This is a dive for certified divers with appropriate experience. The upper parts of the wreck are within advanced recreational limits, but the depth, current and size of the site demand good buoyancy control, air management and comfort in open water. Operators generally require an Advanced Open Water certification or equivalent, and many ask for recent diving logs.

Strong currents can sweep across the wreck, so captains choose conditions carefully, and a dive plan with a descent line is standard. Penetration into the interior is a technical activity that requires specialized training and equipment, and recreational trips do not include it.Marine life has settled in thoroughly.

Expect large schools of fish, goliath grouper, barracuda, moray eels and sometimes eagle rays and sea turtles around the hull. The ship also carries crusted growths of coral and sponge, and the visibility on a good day can be superb, though cloudier water is common after storms. The wreck is about six miles offshore, so you ride out for forty minutes or more, with surface intervals spent on the boat.

Ask the operator about the number of tanks, nitrox availability and whether a second site is included.Spiegel Grove pairs naturally with a visit to John Pennekamp State Park and the Christ of the Abyss statue, which suits less advanced divers and snorkelers in the same group.

If you are not certified, a discover scuba experience or a snorkel trip is a better introduction. Check your dive insurance, bring your certification card and logbook, and tell the crew about any medical conditions before you book. Wreck dives are best in calm, clear conditions, so be flexible about dates and listen to the captain if the current is running hard.

For experienced divers, few Keys sites are as memorable. Preparation makes a deep wreck dive safer and more enjoyable. Review your decompression limits, make sure your equipment has been serviced recently, and consider nitrox if you have the certification, since the extra bottom time is valuable at this depth.

Practice your safety stop, use a surface marker buoy if the crew recommends one, and stay close to your buddy in current. Spiegel Grove also has a reputation for strong, changing currents, which is why local captains cancel or reroute when conditions are poor rather than push on. The history adds interest: the ship served in the Navy for decades before becoming a reef, and local dive shops keep photographs and stories from the sinking that are worth asking about on the boat.