Looking Deeper Into the Florida Keys

Michael C. Barnette

Countless articles have been written describing the underwater attributes of the Florida Keys. The beautiful coral reefs and teeming marine life attract thousands of newly-certified divers annually. The Florida Keys also host several shipwrecks and artificial reefs that have the ability to capture the imagination of even veteran divers. The City of Washington, U.S. Coast Guard Cutters Bibb and Duane, Thunderbolt, and numerous others are known by many. However, there are several other magnificent sites such as the USS Wilkes-Barre and Vitric that lie in deeper water, begging for attention. These wrecks, while resting significantly beyond recognized recreational dive limits – some exceeding depths of 400 feet – are nonetheless drawing the attention of increasing numbers of technical divers.

“There is nothing to see that deep.”

Forget what you have been told about the deep. It is not a lifeless, colorless void. Just as wrecks in shallower water are transformed into thriving habitats, deepwater sites are also incorporated by corals, sponges, and other invertebrates, producing a luxurious artificial reef exploding with color. In fact, many times these deepwater sites host a more diverse and well-balanced ecosystem than their shallower counterparts. Frequently, swift currents run over these deeper wrecks, frustrating the efforts of anglers. As a result, large grouper, snapper, and amberjack are commonly observed on these deep wrecks. Additionally, species not present on shallow wrecks, such as snowy grouper (Epinephelus niveatus), Warsaw grouper (Epinephelus nitrigus), and numerous exotic, deepwater tropical species are very conspicuous at greater depths. During decompression, divers may also be treated to visits from schools of dolphin, sailfish, sharks, wahoo, and other pelagic wanderers.

More importantly, the wrecks themselves are much more visually impressive. Vessels sunk in shallow water are constantly pummeled by surge and wave action. They are more easily impacted by storm action, especially by the numerous hurricanes that have ravaged the Keys over the years. Furthermore, wrecks in shallow water are limited to the amount of vertical relief they may possess. Many of the wrecks in recreational depths have been wire-dragged or razed to avoid presenting a hazard to navigation. Deepwater wrecks are not constrained by this limitation. For example, the upright stern section of the USS Wilkes-Barre has approximately 110 feet of vertical relief! Technical divers have the ability to visit shipwrecks in the Florida Keys that look very much the way they did when in active service. Historical shipwrecks, abundant with both artifacts and marine life, await those choosing to travel the path less taken. However, that path is fraught with peril should one not gain adequate experience and utilize the proper equipment to safely explore these depths.

“Just what is technical diving?”

Technical diving is loosely defined as those activities that utilize breathing gasses other than air, that require extended decompression, and/or that employ oxygen-enriched gasses to accelerate decompression. In order to safely explore wrecks in deeper water, technical divers have embraced helium-based breathing gasses, generally known as trimix. Trimix, as the name implies, consists of three gas components: oxygen, helium, and nitrogen. At greater depths, the increased partial pressure of nitrogen (in air) induces nitrogen narcosis, which can seriously impair a diver. More importantly, oxygen becomes toxic at depth and can result in seizures, unconsciousness, and ultimately, death. In order to mitigate these issues, helium is utilized to displace both the nitrogen and oxygen content, producing a safe breathing medium at depth. In order to accelerate decompression, oxygen-enriched gasses (e.g., Nitrox 50 and 100% oxygen) are carried in separate decompression tanks and deployed at the appropriate depth as a diver ascends towards the surface.

As one might expect, technical diving is gear-extensive. On an average deep dive, a diver can be expected to carry a set of doubles and two decompression tanks, four separate regulators, bottom timers, liftbags, and reels. More importantly, technical diving requires one to be proficient at basic skills such as buoyancy control, as well as more complicated tasks such as gas management and decompression applications. These skills and knowledge requirements can be learned through various classes offered from an increasing number of agencies (see Training). However, it should be noted that experience is the best teacher, and it is highly recommended that you should not rush into technical diving. Instead, the technical diving experience should slowly advance towards you as you improve your skills, increase your experience, and have the ability to dedicate the time and money to safely participate in this sport.

“So let’s hear about those wrecks!”

Numerous deep wrecks can be visited throughout the Florida Keys, with new sites being discovered each year. The conditions found on these wrecks are highly variable. Strong currents, low visibility, and extremely cold bottom temperatures can be encountered on these dives, though generally spectacular conditions are experienced. It should be noted that the majority of these wrecks reside within the boundaries of the Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary, wherein all artifact collection is prohibited.
Here is just a small sampling of some of the more well-known sites, starting just north of Key Largo and progressing towards Key West, where an entire fleet of naval warships await exploration:

OCEAN FREEZE

The Ocean Freeze, originally named the Scott Mason‑Chaite, was a 297‑foot long refrigerated freighter sunk as an artificial reef in 256 feet of water just north of Pacific Reef, 26 miles from Key Largo, on July 28, 1998.

The Ocean Freeze is completely inverted with the rudder, turned hard to port, being the highest portion of the wreck. Oriented with the prevailing current, the bow of the Freeze is pointed in a generally northward direction. The wreck rests on her stern superstructure which suspends the cargo hold and the remaining length of the ship high off the bottom. This provides between 15‑20 feet of clearance under the wreck, creating a unique swim‑through for visiting divers, with miscellaneous wreckage spilled out from the interior and down to the sand below. Under the hull and amidst swarms of baitfish, several doors to the forepeak remain open. This is indeed a great dive, though it will be a shame when the superstructure eventually collapses under the weight of the vessel, thus eliminating the unique swim‑through under the inverted hull. The wreck has just begun its transformation into a thriving habitat with moderate oyster and coral growth on the hull, while schools of juvenile red snapper and other species swarm about the wreck.

NORTHERN LIGHT

Built in 1888, the 300-foot long Northern Light was one of the earliest steel-hulled ships plying the waters of the Great Lakes. In 1927, after the vessel outlived its usefulness, the owner attempted to commit insurance fraud by setting fire to the ship, badly damaging it. It was then cut down and converted into a barge. During a storm on November 11, 1930, the Northern Light broke her back and sank in 190 feet of water off Key Largo.

The sinking event resulted in a most unique wreck site. The stern of the Northern Light was forced back on itself, coming to rest upside down on the upright forward portion of the vessel. The bow is upright in the sand with its anchor hanging on the starboard side, still secured to the winch by its chain. Just aft of the bow and forward cargo hold is the stern of the ship, resting upside down on top of the midships. The picturesque rudder, turned hard to port, rises to within 145 feet of the surface. The wreck presents an interesting penetration opportunity to trained individuals. Divers can swim under the stern and enter the wreck on one side, passing aft of the boilers until a sand dune is encountered. Divers can either pass over this sand dune to exit the fracture caused when the vessel folded onto itself, or turn around and complete the horseshoe transit, exiting on the other side of the boilers.

VITRIC

The Vitric, a 165-foot long wooden schooner‑barge, was built in 1911. The ship capsized and sank on March 29, 1944, in an area southeast of Molasses Reef, en route from Havana to West Palm Beach with a cargo of 134,000 gallons of syrup. The wreck, lying in approximately 300 feet of water, was known by fishermen for years as the “Molasses Wreck.”

In March of 2000, a group of Association of Underwater Explorers (AUE) divers confirmed the identity of the “Molasses Wreck” as that of the Vitric. The site is dominated by the numerous syrup containers the vessel carried at the time of her sinking. Not much of the wooden hull is visible above the clean, sugar-white sand bottom. Due to the normally excellent visibility encountered in this area, the entire wreck site is visible from either end. Portholes and other brass fixtures still remain undisturbed amongst the wreckage. The steering quadrant lies on its side which helps to identify the stern, while the bow is revealed by a large windlass that resides high off the bottom on a section of wreckage.

ISLAMORADA WRECK (ED: SUBSEQUENTLY IDENTIFIED AS THE QUEEN OF NASSAU)

The “Islamorada Wreck,” also known locally as the “Motorcycle Wreck,” is an unidentified vessel that rests in 225 feet of water in the vicinity of Alligator Light. It is approximately 200 feet in length with a beam of 21 feet, 7 inches. The area is dominated by a fine‑sediment bottom that is easily suspended, reducing visibility to a milky haze. Thickly encrusted with razor‑sharp oysters, as well as sponges, corals and other invertebrate growth, the wreck supports a rich diversity of marine life including copious amounts of snapper and grouper. Most notably, scalloped hammerheads frequently school in large numbers above the wreck, creating a unique viewing treat during decompression.

It is quite possible that this vessel was employed as a ferry, carrying passengers and freight to Key West or Havana. The upper deck of the wreck is dominated by open, saloon‑type areas. Portholes, china, and the remains of the bridge equipment can be found throughout the wreck. The starboard shaft and screw are missing, while the port-side screw is missing a blade. One hypothesis is that the vessel may have run aground, damaging the port‑side screw while shearing off the starboard shaft and screw. With this type of damage, the vessel was probably steaming west with the reef running along her starboard side; in fact, her bow now sits pointing westward.

USS WILKES-BARRE (CL-103)

Perhaps the crown jewel of technical wreck dives found in the Florida Keys, the USS Wilkes-Barre was formerly a 608-foot long Cleveland Class cruiser built in 1942 and commissioned on July 1, 1944. The “Willie Bee” saw extensive action in World War II, including campaigns off Formosa, Luzon, Okinawa and Iwo Jima. During her service she shot down over seven Japanese aircraft, rescued six downed American pilots, and came to the aide of the carrier Bunker Hill after it received devastating damage from Japanese aircraft. In a valiant maneuver, she came alongside the stricken carrier and pumped water onto the floating inferno, allowing many crew members to escape. The USS Wilkes-Barre received four battle stars for her World War II service.

Decommissioned on October 9, 1947, the USS Wilkes-Barre was simultaneously placed in reserve at Philadelphia. She remained in "mothballs" until struck from the Navy list on January 15, 1971 – the last light cruiser on the Navy list. In May of 1972 the Wilkes was subjected to underwater explosive tests off Key West. On May 12 her battered hulk broke in two. The aft section sank of its own accord that day while the forward section sank a day later as a result of a scuttling charge.

The bow rests on her starboard side a short distance from the upright stern section. Heading aft, the forward gun turret is missing having spilled out into the sand when the vessel rolled; a massive impression in the hull remains where it used to reside. About 70 feet away in the sand, the turrets can be found upended in 253' of water. The bridge and superstructure still stand off the deck proudly. Observational blisters, probably used during countless Japanese air raids, can be found on either side of the superstructure. Hatches and portholes, some still with glass intact, beckon exploration inside. At the midship break, a diver can witness a unique cross-section of the vessel, though many of her bulkheads are twisted and contorted at awkward angles.

The more visited stern section rises to within 140 feet of the surface. The hangar, located on the extreme stern, can be easily entered with numerous rooms to investigate. Forward of the hangar, the flat deck gives way to the massive six-inch gun turrets that point astern. Three five-inch gun emplacements nestle the base of the superstructure, while antiaircraft gun stations can be found on several of the higher decks. The superstructure provides tremendous relief and several rooms to investigate. Equipment such as radar monitors, phones, and other miscellaneous instruments can still be found throughout the superstructure. Heavily encrusted, the wreck wears a rich garb of oysters, urchins, gorgonians, and other invertebrates which, in turn, attract larger species such as snappers, groupers, sharks and schools of mahi mahi.

USS CURB (ARS-21)

The 214-foot long salvage ship, USS Curb, was built by the Basalt Rock Company of Napa, California. After many towing and salvage duties in the Atlantic during World War II, she was eventually decommissioned in 1946 and loaned to the private salvage firm of the Merritt-Chapman and Scott Corporation in 1947.

The Curb began her new life as an artificial reef upon her sinking off Key West on November 23, 1983. She now lies upright in 185' of water with sections rising to within 110' of the surface. The moderate depth range of the Curb presents an ideal technical training site. However, due to its location close to the shipping channel, the wreck's interior has an inordinate amount of fine silt throughout which is easily stirred up; the adjacent ship channel carries a large sediment load from Key West Harbor.
The wreck provides great penetration potential, with numerous hatches providing access to the interior. The numerous winches on the bow reveal the Curb’s former employment as a cable layer, while large towing bitts on the stern deck represent her towing and salvage ability. Netting surrounds many of her vertical surfaces and monofilament line can also be a hazard. Marine life is abundant on the Curb with large snapper, grouper and hogfish, as well as jewfish, African pompano, numerous tropicals, and even large tarpon on occasion.

USS S-16 (SS-121)

The USS S‑16 was built in Bridgeport, Connecticut, by the Lake Torpedo Boat Company and commissioned into the U.S. Navy on December 17, 1920. The 231-foot long submarine was designed to safely operate at depths up to 200 feet. The S-boat was armed with four 21‑inch torpedo tubes installed in the bow for a supply of twelve torpedoes, as well as one four-inch/50 caliber deck gun.

After serving the Navy throughout the Pacific, the S‑16 was decommissioned on May 22, 1935, but brought back into service on December 2, 1940, due to World War II hostilities. The USS S‑16 saw no war action; instead she patrolled throughout the Caribbean monitoring merchant shipping. Decommissioned for the final time on October 4, 1944, the antiquated vessel was eventually sunk as a target 18 miles south of Key West on April 3, 1945.

Now silently resting upright but with a slight list to starboard in approximately 260 feet of water, the submarine is amazingly intact. The wreck sits perpendicular to the prevailing current, its exposed port side covered in a thick garden of whip corals. Perhaps the most recognizable portion of the wreck, the narrow conning tower looms high off the bottom and is adorned with the attractive single-person “chariot bridge.” The sleek bow sits clear of the sand enabling a diver to swim under the forward portion of the boat in order to observe the various torpedo tube doors. Both screws still remain in place, though they are well camouflaged by sponges and corals. Large open hatches allow penetration into both the forward torpedo room and aft engine room, while the open conning tower hatch is too small for a diver to enter.

The amount and variety of wrecks found just offshore of this string of islands has transformed the Florida Keys into a technical wreck diver’s utopia. Many other wrecks not discussed in this article, such as the USS Fred T. Berry, USS Kendrick, USS Saufley and the “Whistle Buoy Wreck,” as well as the yet to be discovered USS R-12, can be found waiting just below the surface, albeit just a little bit deeper.


 Michael C. Barnette is the Founder and Director of the Association of Underwater Explorers (http://www.mikey.net/aue), a coalition of divers dedicated to the research, exploration, documentation and preservation of submerged cultural resources. Employed as a marine ecologist with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), he is currently working on a book documenting the numerous shipwrecks around the state of Florida.