YOU SHOULD NOT BE ON THIS PAGE. IT EXISTS ONLY TO APPEASE THE SEARCH ENGINES. CLICK HERE (on this text) TO ESCAPE BACK TO THE INDEX PAGE.
| MileMarker: | 84 |
| Location: | Lat 24 52.18 Long 80 34.21 Midway between Crocker Reef and Alligator light, 4.5 miles SE of Islamorada |
| Markers: | Several buoys are just under the surface. It's somewhat difficult to find this wreck, esp. without GPS |
| Depth Range: | 75 to 120 feet deep |
| Skill Level req.: | advanced |
| Risks/Warnings: | depth, current, wreck penetration |
| History | |
| Originally the freighter Raila Dan, the re-named Eagle was built in 1962. She was 269 feet long, with a 40-foot beam. She had an uneventful life of transport. In 1985, a fire broke out aboard while enroute from Miami to Venezuela, damaging the vessel beyond repair. Members of the Islamorada diving and tourism communities and the Eagle Tire Company arranged for the vessel to be prepared as a dive-ready artificial reef. That entails stripping and cleaning the vessel, so that there are no chemicals to damage the fragile reef, nor any entanglements to endanger divers. Doors were removed and large holes were blasted in the hull. During the sinking, the wreck shifted and landed on its starboard side. During Hurricane Georges in 9/98, the Eagle broke into 2 pieces. A distance of about 100 feet now separates the two halves. |
|
| Dive Description | |
| The Eagle is in 2 pieces in 120 feet of water. Currents can be a concern. This is an advanced dive, and few diveshops will take divers without proper documentation (i.e., logbooks showing deep dives, Advanced C-cards, etc.). Boats should tie off to the buoys, which are secured to the bow and the stern of the wreck. Divers should always descend and ascend along the anchor line to avoid being swept away by the current. A 15' safety stop is mandatory. Due to the variable depths, this should be considered a multi-level dive. Dive computers are a great aid. Don't forget your divelight either. Diving the Eagle is an awesome experience. Visibility is often over 100 feet. Penetration is easy and safe (for wreck-certified divers). A large ship originally, the Eagle is an encrusted garden of sealife. Divers should wear protective suits and gloves. Spiny oysters, hydroids and sponges proliferate. Schools of batefish like silversides, grunts, etc. flit about while amberjacks, grouper and cobia patrol and feed. Divers will reach the wreck at either the stern or bow anchor line. First time Eagle divers should stay as shallow as possible (to maximize downtime). As most of the wreck is 65' - 100', avoid going deeper than 100'. Some of the easier entry points can yield spectacular penetration experiences as you come face to face with a large jewfish or nurse shark. Depending on which half of the wreck you tied off to will determine where you spend most of your time. Note the giant propellers aft. Topside, the large masts extend out from the forward decks, and the smokestack extends up from the back deck. Diveshops from Key Largo often include the Eagle in a 3-tank all-day diving adventure. Otherwise, you'll need to visit an Islamorada shop to hit the Eagle. It's too far south for most Key Largo shops. For further information, visit this link: Indiana University-Eagle Info |
|
| Divesite info by: Jonathan Brinkman | |
Divelog for The Eagle - Wreck
Add your dive to the divelog below!! CLICK HERE.
| LOWER KEYS info (Key West - 7 Mi. bridge) |
MIDDLE KEYS info (Marathon - Layton) |
UPPER KEYS info (Islamorada - Key Largo) |
All Rights Reserved
Copyright © 2004
BGW, Inc.
Find us with Keywords: State of Florida Keys scuba diving equipment scuba divers key west key largo florida map of florida vacation weather tourism travel hotel motel underwater ship wrecks photography camping certification school dive boat john pennekamp coral reef state park history snorkeling Marathon Tavernier Islamorada Big Pine PADI keys dive shops diveshops charters
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .