Florida gains mega wreck

The US Navy’s decommissioned General Hoyt S Vandenberg went down seven miles south of Key West, in the Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary.

The sinking represents the final link in the Florida Keys Shipwreck Trek, a series of internationally sunk vessels that starts off at Key Largo with the Spiegel Grove and ends with the Vandenberg.

The last may well prove to be the best, according to Joe Weatherby, founder of the Artificial Reefs of the Keys project group. “There is simply nothing else like the Vandenberg for divers,” he said.

Sitting upright in 43m of water, the massive vessel’s extensive and diverse superstructures rise to within 12m of the surface, providing varied opportunities for both novice and experienced divers.