Florida’s Newest Wreck Dive

At a cost of $8.6 million, the General Hoyt S. Vandenberg has finally been sunk to become the world’s second-largest artificial reef. On May 27, the 524-foot-long boat was sent to rest at 140 feet, seven miles south of Key West. The Vandenberg was used to transport WWII troops in both the Atlantic and the Pacific, bring postwar refugees from the German concentration camps to New York City, and as a setting for the sci-fi movie Virus. The topmost portion of the ship is at 40 feet, making it accessible to divers of all levels.

Contact any Key West dive shop for details about diving. There, you can also buy a scavenger-hunt game created by local diver Ann Lorraine. The waterproof slate poses questions that help you find the answer on the ship. For example, the first clue tells divers to find the ship’s “birthdate” and points them to an area on the highest deck of the ship.