Usgs Duane

The Duane is the intentionally scuttled US Coast Guard Cutter Duane, a 327-foot Treasury-class cutter now lying upright on a sandy bottom about one mile south of Molasses Reef in the Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary. Its largely intact hull, exposed deck and towering mast are heavily encrusted with corals, sponges and other biota, creating an artificial-reef "underwater museum" that draws abundant reef life including large schools of grunt and snapper and frequent sightings of sharks, barracuda and rays. Diving is by boat only using a mooring buoy and descent line. The mast and crow's nest sit near 60 feet, the navigating bridge around 70 feet and the main deck near 100 feet, with parts of the structure extending to roughly 110–120 feet; this depth profile makes the site best suited to advanced-certified divers. Visibility is often 60–100 feet on clear days and water temperatures range from the mid-70s to mid-80s °F. Currents from the Gulf Stream can be moderate to strong, so many dives are planned as drifts along the hull starting at the stern mooring; limited no-decompression time and increased air consumption are important considerations, and good buoyancy control is required to avoid stirring silt. Built in 1936, Duane was a 327-foot Treasury-class cutter decommissioned in 1985, donated for use as an artificial reef and scuttled on November 27, 1987; the wreck retains original features such as rudders, propellers, railings and ladders.