Get ready for an unforgettable underwater journey in the heart of the Florida Keys! The USS Spiegel Grove (LSD-32) is a colossal 510-foot U.S. Navy landing ship and has one of the most fascinating stories in the world of wreck diving!
Commissioned on June 8, 1956, the Spiegel Grove served honorably in the U.S. Navy for over three decades, playing a key role in amphibious missions across the globe. After being decommissioned in 1989, the vessel was selected for a second life—this time as an artificial reef off the coast of Key Largo, Florida.
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In 2002, after extensive preparations to ensure environmental safety, the ship was intended to be sunk in a controlled operation. But fate had other plans—the Spiegel Grove accidentally sank early, landing on its starboard side. This unexpected orientation created an unusual dive experience, immediately drawing attention from the diving community.
Then came another twist no one could have predicted when in July 2005, Hurricane Dennis passed through the area. The storm’s powerful underwater currents rolled the massive ship upright, perfectly positioning it just as the reef designers had originally intended. This natural miracle only added to the ship’s legend, transforming it into a world-renowned wreck diving destination.
Whether you're planning a Florida Keys scuba diving trip or just looking for the best wreck dives in Key Largo, the Spiegel Grove promises a legendary underwater experience. With its incredible scale, rich history, and flourishing marine ecosystem, it’s a must-dive for every serious scuba enthusiast!
The Spiegel Grove is one of the most awe-inspiring and iconic wreck dives in the Florida Keys.
This enormous wreck is so vast that on many dives, the ship's towering superstructure vanishes into the mysterious, shimmering, blue-green depths, creating a surreal and atmospheric experience.
On days of exceptional visibility, divers can even see the white sandy seafloor 130 feet below the surface. Convenient mooring buoys make boat access eco-friendly, helping protect the reef while providing stable tie-off points.
Even better, the ship’s massive, open layout—coupled with an abundance of marine life—makes it an ideal site for underwater photography, marine exploration, and wreck navigation.
This makes the Spiegel Grove an excellent training site for the PADI Wreck Diver Specialty and a popular choice for completing specialty dives as part of the PADI Advanced Open Water Diver course.
Now a vibrant artificial reef, the USS Spiegel Grove is teeming with life. Divers are often greeted by colorful corals, sea sponges, goliath groupers, angelfish, snappers, parrotfish, longlure frogfish, barracuda, and much more.
The wreck is also a known hangout for Caribbean reef sharks and the occasional great hammerhead sharks, attracting underwater photographers and big-animal enthusiasts alike.
Closer to the hull, you’ll find a patchwork of soft corals, sea fans and sponges, creating shelter for smaller creatures, while moray eels peek from crevices.
The Spiegel Grove’s transformation into a rich marine habitat is a testament to the power of artificial reefs to support biodiversity and enhance ocean conservation.
When you dive the Spiegel Grove with Sail Fish Scuba, you're not just getting a tour—you’re diving with seasoned professionals who know this wreck inside and out. We help you enjoy the best of Key Largo scuba diving safely and confidently.
Our experienced scuba diving team closely monitors sea conditions before every dive. We provide all guests with a full dive briefing that includes current direction, descent techniques, and a safe dive plan for exploring this legendary Florida Keys wreck dive.
Before every Spiegel Grove dive, your dive guide will lead a full safety briefing covering entry and exit procedures, current direction, air management, and emergency protocols. We will also check in with you throughout the dive to confirm air pressure, dive time, and comfort levels, ensuring a safe and enjoyable experience at one of the most iconic wreck dives in the Florida Keys.
The Spiegel Grove is a deep wreck dive, which means air consumption increases quickly and bottom time must be managed carefully. We advise all divers to follow the rule of thirds—reserving one-third of your air for emergencies—and recommend diving with Enriched Air Nitrox to extend their no-decompression limits. A dive computer is required, and our guides will help you monitor your depth, air, and ascent rate throughout the dive.
Exploring the structure of the Spiegel Grove offers an unforgettable Florida wreck diving experience, but also requires strong buoyancy skills and awareness. Interior spaces may contain sharp edges, silt, and narrow passages. If you are not sure about your buoyancy skills, check out our PADI Peak Performance Buoyancy course.
One of the main factors divers must be prepared for when diving the USS Spiegel Grove is the strong and shifting ocean current. Even on calm-weather days, this offshore site can be deceptively “sporty” beneath the surface, at the surface, or both.
We use a surface line system that includes a trail line from the stern of our dive boat, a granny (wreck) line leading to the mooring buoy, and a mooring line that descends directly to the Spiegel Grove wreck. This line system makes it easier and safer for divers to reach the wreck and return without consuming air in their tanks (given they use their snorkels while surface-swimming), especially when currents are active or surface conditions are sporty.
We advise all divers to stay connected to the line system at all times—never let go of one line without first securing a hand grip on the next. Our dive crew will guide you in moving hand-over-hand from the trail line to the granny line, guiding you safely toward the mooring. If the boat is swinging with the waves, maintain a slight distance from the hull by holding the line and swimming slightly outward.
Once you're on the mooring line, grab it securely, fully deflate your BCD, breathe from your regulator and begin a controlled descent. We emphasize buddy contact and using a hand-over-hand technique to reach the deck of the Spiegel Grove shipwreck smoothly and safely.
When you arrive at the wreck, take a moment to assess the underwater current. At Sail Fish Scuba, we often guide dives that begin against the current, allowing you to finish the dive gliding along, with the current assisting you back toward your exit point. This dive strategy helps conserve both air and energy, while maximizing your Key Largo diving experience.
When diving the iconic USS Spiegel Grove in Key Largo, having the right gear is essential for safety, comfort, and maximizing your underwater adventure. At Sail Fish Scuba, we recommend every diver come prepared with essential equipment to ensure a smooth and responsible dive.
An underwater slate is useful for communicating with your buddy, sketching features of the wreck, or noting points of interest during your dive.
A powerful dive light enhances your view of the wreck’s darker corners, helping you spot hidden marine life and appreciate the Spiegel Grove's impressive structure.
Durable, gloves protect your hands from sharp edges, barnacles, and rusted surfaces on this massive shipwreck (remember: gloves are for your protection. They are not to be used to touch marine life or the wreck).
For signaling, bring a surface marker buoy (SMB) to mark your position for the boat crew and a whistle for surface communication in case of strong current or low visibility.
To get the most out of your Florida Keys diving experience, we also recommend checking out our Florida fish ID cards or marine life guides available at Sail Fish Scuba to help identify the amazing species you’ll encounter around this thriving artificial reef.
At Sail Fish Scuba, we believe scuba diving isn’t just about adventure—it’s about ocean stewardship. The USS Spiegel Grove, one of the largest and most iconic artificial reefs in the Florida Keys, is more than a world-class wreck dive; it’s a living marine ecosystem supporting conservation and habitat restoration.
Now home to vibrant corals, reef fish, sponges, grouper, barracuda, and Caribbean reef sharks, the Spiegel Grove has become one of Key Largo’s top scuba diving sites. As part of the Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary, it plays a key role in supporting marine biodiversity and reducing diver impact on natural reef systems.
When you dive with Sail Fish Scuba, you’re not only exploring an incredible underwater world—you’re helping protect it. We promote responsible wreck diving by encouraging divers to maintain excellent buoyancy, use reef-safe sunscreen, and avoid touching the wreck or marine life. These small actions help preserve the Spiegel Grove’s ecosystem for future generations.
Our team proudly supports ongoing the reef conservation efforts alongside local nonprofits, environmental agencies, and fellow Key Largo dive operators. Through diver education and reef monitoring, we work to ensure the Spiegel Grove remains a sustainable and thriving dive site.
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103100 Overseas Highway #33 Key Largo, FL 33037