Florida wreck diving in Key Largo – The MV Benwood
The MV Benwood has been resting near Key Largo since April 9, 1942 and is a popular Florida wreck diving spot. This cargo vessel can be found on a level expanse of sand at 25º03.16 80º20.02. Dixie Shoals is found north of this wreck and to the south you will find the French Reef. The depth varies from 25 to 45 feet (8 to 14 meters) since the wreck is located on a slope. The MV Benwood was a Norwegian merchant marine freighter built in Great Britain in 1910. The length of the ship is 360 feet (110 meters), with a 51 foot (15.5 meter) beam.
One early April morning in 1942, the MV Benwood collided with a tanker named Robert C. Tuttle. The reason behind this accident was the ongoing World War II that forced both ships to travel with their lights off to avoid being detected by German submarines. When the crews on MV Benwood and Robert C. Tuttle finally understood what was about to happen, it was too late to avoid the ships from colliding. The port side of Robert C. Tuttle was punctured by the bow of the MV Benwood, and MV Benwood collapsed. The captain of MV Benwood tried to reach the shore, but within an hour he had to leave the sinking ship. Since he managed to get the ship quite close to shore, MV Benwood is today one of the shallow Florida wreck diving spots.
Today, MV Benwood is not only a popular Florida wreck diving spot for wreck enthusiast; it is also appreciated by those interested in the fascinating Floridian underwater fauna. This Florida wreck diving spot is home to large schools of barracuda, and both hard and soft corals have colonized the remains of the ship. You can also encounter plenty of smaller fish species that hide among the debris, and Parrot fish that feed of the corals. Night diving is popular around this wreck since you can see beautiful invertebrates and bioluminescence all over the wreck as soon as the sun has set.
Florida wreck diving in Key Largo – The San Jose and the Infante
This Florida wreck diving spot consists of two galleons can be found at the Islamorada dive site. They are very old wrecks that formed a part of the renowned Silver Plate Fleet of 1733 before they were caught in a hurricane. You will now find them within a mile of each other, at 14º10.85 43º26.77. The depth range for this Florida wreck diving spot is 12 to 15 feet (3.7 to 4.6 meters). Since the ships have been resting in the ocean for so long, there is not much left of them. The Infante currently consists of some timber planking that used to form a part of the deck, and you can also notice how the ballast stones have been scattered around the wreck. The San Jose lost its stern when it collided with the sand flats, and this part of the ship is located 200 yards (183 meters) from the main hull.
Florida wreck diving in Boca Raton – The Captain Tony or M/V Becks
This Florida wreck diving site is known under two names – Captain Tony and M/V Becks. The ships original name was M/V Becks, while the new name “Captain Tony” was given to her in honor of a local dive charter captain named Tony Townsend. This Florida wreck diving spot is a fairly new one - M/V Becks sank on October 22, 1996. This wreck is still considered safe to penetrate, provided of course that you have the necessary wreck diving skills. Captain Tony (M/V Becks) is located in 85 feet (26 meters) of water and is resting upright with its bow pointing towards south.
