Welcome to The Eagle

When your out in the keys, and want to get that peg leg wet, you need to check out The Eagle. This 269 foot Freighter sites off the coast of of Lower Matecumbe Key. Here's a little background information for you.

This became an amazing Artificial Reef sitting at a depth of about 117 feet (per last dive readings.) Boaters and snorkelers wont be getting a view of this ships regardless of how clear the waters in the Keys are. Visibility of this ship doesn't open up until your about 65 feet underwater. At the ocean floor you get approximately 50-75 feet of visibility around. Traveling alongside the wreck you will find a variety of fish including Amberjacks, Jewfish, Silversides and Nurse Sharks.

Along with a variety of fish you will also see a lot of colorful reef displays across various parts of the ship.  To the right you can make out the anchor attached to the bright white chain that it was attached to. Click on the image for a much larger view.

You will find that much of the ship is still in one piece, besides the obvious split down its center. Originally the ship had been sunk only through small holes blasted through its sides. In October of 1998, Hurricane George picked the ship back up, split her in half and set her back down on her right side.

For the experienced scuba divers, their is a hole that can actually be swam through while diving through where the ship was split in half. It's a little tight through this area but you'll swim through plenty of sea life and get that Wreck Diver Experience! Please take into consideration though, this dive should be only performed by Advanced Divers or through the supervision of proper Scuba Charters and Tours.

Special Thanks to my Dad Capt. Rich and Capt. Carol as well as the awesome staff at Sea Base with the Boy Scouts of America for taking me around this trip to the various sites. Always a pleasure!