The Eagle

The Eagle is an intentionally sunk steel freighter lying on its starboard side as a large artificial reef. The 287-foot wreck is split in two with large swim-through openings and is encrusted with coral, sponges and other marine life, making it a highly regarded, popular wreck dive. Access is by boat, generally via a mooring buoy attached to the wreck. The top of the wreck is around 70 ft and the bottom about 110 ft, so advanced certification is recommended; a typical route follows the hull from bow to stern to view the anchor chain, collapsed cargo holds, and the intact propeller and rudder. Water is warm and typically clear with good visibility and occasional moderate currents; many large holes and breaches allow easy swim-throughs without a fully overhead environment, but penetration of the wheelhouse or engine room requires proper wreck-diving training. Divers should maintain buoyancy control and monitor no-decompression limits during the dive. Built in the Netherlands in 1962 as Raila Dan, the vessel was renamed Arron K by 1985 after a fire about 100 miles south of Miami destroyed its superstructure and it was declared a total loss. The derelict ship, later renamed Eagle Tire Company, was acquired by the Florida Keys Artificial Reef Association and scuttled as a reef in late 1985; Hurricane Georges split the wreck in two in 1998.