USCGC Duane

A veteran cutter reefed off Key Largo. The USCGC Duane was a long-serving United States Coast Guard cutter, a veteran of the Second World War and decades of service, deliberately sunk off Key Largo in 1987 as an artificial reef. She came to rest sitting upright on the sand, and remains one of the most popular and dramatic wreck dives in the Florida Keys.

Upright and photogenic. Standing proud on the bottom with her mast reaching toward the surface, the Duane looks every bit the ship she was. Divers descend the mast and crow's nest, explore the deck and superstructure, and take in a wreck whose upright posture and clear form make orientation easy and rewarding.

A deep, current-swept dive. The wreck lies between roughly 30 metres at the deck and 37 metres at the sand, placing it firmly in the deep recreational range. Advanced Open Water certification with deep experience is needed, and the exposed offshore site is frequently swept by current, so good buoyancy and gas management are essential.

Big fish and blue water. Barracuda hang over the wreck, and reef sharks, goliath grouper, jacks and turtles are regular visitors, with corals and sponges encrusting the hull. Reached by charter from Key Largo, the Duane is dived year-round, with the calmest seas and clearest, warmest water generally in summer.