Joes Tug

Joe’s Tug is a popular artificial-reef wreck formed by a 75-foot steel-hulled shrimp boat intentionally scuttled and now lying upright on a sandy bottom at about 65 feet. The structure is heavily encrusted with hard and soft corals, sponges, and other invertebrates, creating a colorful reef environment that shelters large fish and nocturnal invertebrates. The site is boat-access only and uses permanent mooring buoys; visibility is typically around 50 feet and water temperatures are those typical of tropical Florida Keys waters. The wreck’s maximum depth is about 65 feet, making it accessible to Open Water-certified divers. Currents are usually mild but can vary, so divers should heed local guidance. A typical dive is to swim between the bow and stern (about 30 feet apart) and explore the deck and accessible interior spaces. Past hurricane damage has left jagged metal edges and collapsed sections, so divers without specialized wreck-penetration training should avoid entering interior compartments. The vessel sank in Key West harbor during a theft attempt in 1986, was refloated, cleaned, towed offshore, and scuttled on January 21, 1989. Despite its name, the boat was not a tugboat; the bow and stern sections are separated by roughly 30 feet while the hull and aft deck remain open and accessible.