|
Mike’s Wreck aka Hannah M Bell
 Key Largo, FL
|
Max Depth: 21-25ft/6-8m
Average Viz: 41-50ft/12-15m
Entry Type: Boat
Bottom Composition: Sand/Rock
Aquatic Life: Might See Something
|
Spring: 76-80°F/24-27°C
Winter: 66-70°F/19-21°C
|
|
|
|
N 25 08.673
W 080 15.393
History, how ID’d, photos
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/11/21/mikes-wreck-key-largo-hannah-m-bell_n_2170796.html?utm_hp_ref=fb&src=sp&comm_ref=false#sb=491063,b=facebook According to a NOAA press release,
the wreckage is believed to be that of the Hannah M. Bell, a British steel-hulled ship built in 1893 that sank in 1911. Prior to its untimely end, the ship plied waters between ports in Europe, South America, the Caribbean, and both the East and Gulf Coasts in the U.S., typically transporting raw materials such as cotton, sugar and coal.
NOAA press release
http://sanctuaries.noaa.gov/news/press/2012/pr112012.htmlFrom DiveSpot;
One of the ships that sank on Elbow Reef is a 315’ steel-hulled ship that is called Mike’s Wreck. There are two larger sections of the bow and stern which appear grown into the reef. Other smaller pieces are scattered around a large area. Many people once thought the wreck debris was the Civil War era ship, the Towanda, or possibly parts of another wreck simply known as the Civil War wreck. (When I dove this 04/09/01 we were told it was a Civil War Wreck, RayC-LatitudeAdjustment)
The Mike’s Wreck spot is a popular location for underwater photography. Divers report that it is the most colorful of the wrecks on Elbow. There is abundant marine life in the shallow waters. Maximum depth is 25 feet and visibility is usually good because the Elbow Reef juts into the Gulf Stream a bit. Beautiful specimens of elkhorn, brain and star coral are often covered with tiny fish. Sea fans grow from a portion of the wreck.
Fish to spot on Mike’s Wreck are midnight parrot fish, jacks, filefish, grunts, and barracuda. You may also sea some rays, nurse sharks, morays, lobster and sea turtles.
YouTube:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fHqVwAkSJfkMore info;
http://florida.greatestdivesites.com/key_largo/elbow_reef/mikes_wreck