Key Largo, Florida, United States

USS Spiegel Grove

The USS Spiegel Grove (LSD-32) is a 155-metre Thomaston-class dock landing ship that served the United States Navy from 1956 to 1989 and was scuttled as an artificial reef six nautical miles off Key Largo on 17 May 2002. The sinking did not go to plan: the ship rolled on its side and settled with the bow protruding from the surface, and it was not until Hurricane Dennis in 2005 that wave action finally rolled her upright on the sand. Today she rests in 40 metres with the deck around 24 metres and the superstructure as shallow as 18 metres, making her one of the largest intentionally sunk artificial reefs in the world. The wreck has been extensively prepared for divers, but penetration is recommended only for trained wreck divers and there are still tight spaces. Schools of horse-eye jacks, barracuda, goliath grouper, amberjack and the occasional bull shark patrol the structure, which is heavily encrusted with sponges, hydroids and corals. Currents are often strong; an advanced certification is the minimum recommended.