Spiegel Grove The Largest Florida Keys Shipwreck For Scuba Divers

T he latest shipwreck dive         upright position much like how     site in the Florida Keys        the Duane is sitting. This         for scuba divers is the USS     resulted in better orientation of  Spiegel Grove. This is a former       the ship for scuba divers          US Navy Landing Ship Dock that        especially since there are some    was sunk in 2002 to create an         swim throughs located throughout   artificial reef in Key Largo,         the wreck.                         much like the Duane and Bibb                                             ships were in the same general        Most of the scuba dive operators   area. The Spiegel Grove is 510        in Key Largo have dive trips to    feet in length and 84 feet wide       the Spiegel Grove since this site  making it the largest of the          is the latest rage in the local    shipwrecks accessible to scuba        scuba diving. Since it is a deep   divers in the Florida Keys. This      dive, advance certification is     wreck sits at a depth of 134 feet     required. Scuba divers can also    near Dixie Shoals and the depth       dive the Spiegel Grove as part of  at the highest point of the ship      their advance certification        is about 60 to 65 feet depending      course. The dive plan for this     on the tide level.                    wreck is very similar to that of                                         the Duane. The dive site is often  The Spiegel Grove had been lying      in an area with heavy currents so  on her starboard side after           as soon as divers jump in the      initial sinking and was reported      water, they have to go grab a      to be a great dive. Hurricane         line and pull themselves towards   Denis which greatly affected the      the front of the dive boat where   south Florida area, actually made     the line is attached to the        this wreck dive even better. The      descent line. Divers then pull     waves and surges from the             themselves down towards the        hurricane were strong enough to       wreck. Unlike the Duane which has  push the entire ship to an            descent lines on both ends of the  ship, the Spiegel Grove has three     interested in the beauty of        lines since it is a much larger       shipwrecks themselves, this will   ship. The ascent and safety stop      be considered a great dive. The    is on these same lines since the      only downside to this dive is the  currents can be strong at any         amount of marine life on the       depth. It is highly recommended       wreck. Barracuda, large angelfish  that any cameras and other            and other fish can be spotted on   devices are secured by lanyards       the Spiegel Grove but not nearly   since losing them in these            as many as on the Duane. This is   currents is possible.                 why some divers may still prefer                                         the Duane over the Spiegel Grove   As one descends on the Spiegel        if marine life is their primary    Grove, one will see just how          interest in scuba diving. But the  large this ship is. This will         Spiegel Grove is still a           keep many divers excited. Lots of     relatively new dive site compared  divers in the area have dived the     to the Duane so in time, the       Spiegel Grove before and are only     amount of marine life will         happy to dive it again to explore     increase at this site making it    the different compartments            even better in the future. Both    accessible in the wreck. This         the Spiegel Grove and the Duane    ship is also unique as it has a       are highly recommended dives for   large crane in the stern area         all scuba divers with a minimum    since it was used as a landing        of advance certification when      ship dock. For enthusiasts            diving in the Key Largo area.      About the Author: Clint Leung is a NAUI certified Master and Rescue Scuba Diver. He is also owner of Free Spirit Activewear (http://www.FreeSpiritActivewear.com) , an online retailer/designer specializing in premium quality scuba diving activewear. Free Spirit Activewear has numerous information resource articles on scuba diving as well as free eCards. Source: www.isnare.com