USS Spiegel Grove – Key Largo & Islamorada

Site Overview

USS Spiegel Grove is one of the world's premier wreck diving experiences featuring a massive five hundred fifty foot former Navy landing ship dock resting at forty meters depth on the Florida Keys reef tract. The enormous vessel creates an artificial reef supporting extraordinary marine life including resident goliath grouper exceeding two hundred kilograms, schools of barracuda, and seasonal eagle ray visits that patrol the wreck's superstructure. The wreck was intentionally sunk in two thousand two and Hurricane Dennis in two thousand five rolled the ship upright creating perfect diving orientation with the massive well deck now accessible for penetration diving. The sheer scale of the vessel provides multiple dive experiences from shallow exploration of the upper superstructure at fifteen meters to advanced penetration through the engine room and well deck at depth. The wreck's position in clear Gulf Stream water ensures excellent visibility year-round making it one of the most photographed and visited wreck dive sites in the Western Hemisphere. The wreck's location within the Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary provides additional protection ensuring the artificial reef ecosystem continues to develop and mature with minimal human disturbance. Scientific monitoring has documented over two hundred species colonizing the wreck since its deployment making it one of the most studied artificial reefs in the world providing valuable data about reef development and marine habitat restoration. The clear Gulf Stream water and consistent visibility make the wreck accessible to divers throughout the year with seasonal variations bringing different pelagic species and changing reef communities.