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In the waters of South Florida, a new chapter in the history of the sea is being written. From a hundred-year-old shipwreck broken in half along a submerged trail of the casualties of war to a communications tower that signals life on an otherwise barren ocean floor. Now underwater, these former weapons of war and other historic artifacts are reinlisted to protect life at the bottom of the sea. south from the city of Miami all the way to Key West, the Florida Keys is a collection of 1,700 islands. As the most southern point of the continental US, the Florida Keys is the first line of defense for the nation's southern border.
Since the 1820s, when the US Navy protected merchant ships from pirates to the most modern means of maritime warfare, these waters play an important role in US history. Now, that history is being rewritten as retired warships and supply freighters transform the ocean floor into artificial reefs. Along the coast of Keargo, just south of Miami, nine historic shipwrecks are lined up in a formation known as the shipwreck trail.
The city of Washington was a transit ship that played a key role in shaping the nation. Now it's reshaping the ocean floor. In February 1898, the ship was morowed in Havana when the USS Maine exploded. Luckily, the city of Washington survived the blast. It sprung into action to help rescue the crew of the main The incident galvanized American opposition to Spanish rule in Cuba. Two months later, the SpanishAmerican War had begun. The city of Washington was then turned into a barge and it was just used to transport goods up and down the Keys. On July 10th, 1917, while under tow, the city of Washington ran ground, broke up,
and sank to the bottom. Now it lies just 20 m or about two stories below the surface. After a century submerged, the vessel is being transformed, now home to a bustling marine community. Because it's in shallow water, uh there's only really parts of the keel that are left. It's not like a big shipwreck that you'll see, but what you do get are lots of deck plates which create overhangs and the reef has grown around the wreck.
Wrecks in shallow water are slowly broken up by the forces of waves and currents. And the higher oxygen closer to the air at the surface means the iron structure of the city of Washington corrods faster than it would in deeper water. But being near sunlight also helps turn what's left of a wreck into an artificial reef. Algae uses photosynthesis to convert light energy to chemical energy which it stores for later use. This process creates the sugar that coral needs for its own growth and nourishment. The shallower the water, the more sunlight there is. And the more sunlight there is, the healthier the coral.
Algae and coral work together, but too much of a good thing can be bad. Too much algae can choke a reef. That's where parrot fish come in. Parrot fish are voracious feeders that spend up to 90% of their day eating algae off of reefs with their beak-like teeth. They help maintain the balance between the algae and reef building coral, allowing a vivid seascape to take form. Gorggonas are one of the highlights of this seascape.
There are about 500 species of gorggonia including wide broad sea fans and long thin whips. Like coral, individual organisms called polyps form the building blocks of gorggonas. One after another, they grow on top of each other, making a high and wide but very thin colony. These wide fans are common in shallow waters with high currents. Gorggonas have tiny tentacles that catch plankton. It's called filter feeding, and it works best when the fan faces the current, drifting back and forth to catch food.
They also have a chemical defense system that leaves a bad taste in the mouth of potential predators. On the sea floor beside the wreck is another resident of the city of Washington. Stingrays spend most of their time hidden under the sand, camouflaged from larger predators. Like its cousin, the shark, the raised skeleton is made up of cartilage rather than rigid bone. This allows it to undulate its body. When frightened from cover, the ray swims by waving its broad sides like wings. In the open water, it depends on its long tail with serrated edges and a venomous sharp point for defense. With a vibrant population of fish,
corals, and gorggonias to add to its storied history, the city of Washington lives on as a vibrant artificial reef. Further along the shipwreck trail, another of Florida's former military vessels lies at the bottom of the ocean. Like the city of Washington, the Benwood has a decorated past, but its tragic end could have been avoided. The Benwood was built in 1910. It pied the coast for 30 years and eventually became a merchant marine freighter armed with rifles, guns, depth charges, and bombs. A legacy of the Second World War.
During World War II, there were um reports of German submarines in the area. So, ships would go up and down what we call Hawks Channel, and they go up and down there at night with the lights out so the submarines couldn't see them. Um, one particular night, uh, there was the Benwood and another vessel called the Tully, which were heading in opposite directions. Um, they were approaching each other. They didn't see each other until the last minute. Uh the tully hit the Benwood side on. Uh the tully took its damage above the water line so they were able to limp back to shore. But the captain of the Benwood decided to actually run the vessel ground so that they could try and
save some of the cargo that was on it. The captain turned toward land and tried to save it. But the bow was crushed. The ship began taking on water. Within just 30 minutes, the crew was forced to abandon ship. The Benwood came to rest on a sandy slope 10 m below the surface. Later, the boat was stripped and gutted, then blown up to avoid being an obstacle to marine traffic. Now underwater, the legacy of the Benwood lives on. The remains cover a wide area stretching out more than 100 m in length.
The bow stands tall above an otherwise flat sea floor. The steel bones of the hull provide a kind of spine for what has now become an artificial reef teeming with life. So the life on the Benwood is really varied. It's like a little oasis in the middle of a desert. There's no other reef around there. So everything is just sitting there taking its protection, taking its food from that one source. So, we'll see everything there from really small drum fish all the way up through the different types of parrot fish, all the sort of colorful reef stuff that you would you would expect to see. Sholes of different kinds of fish numbering in the hundreds swim together through the remains of the ship.
Porkfish with their signature bold black bands on their head gather in small groups amongst larger schools of grunts, yellow goatfish, and school master snappers. This alliance is an example of protective mimicry. Similar in size, shape, and color, these fish are better protected when they swim together. On the Benwood, these mixed species groups seek shelter near the exposed areas of the wreck during the day. Some, like the smallmouth grunt, will later disperse after sunset, moving to the open sea, where they feed on plankton, mollisks, and shrimp.
Adult sergeant majors dart amongst them, braving the open areas of the wreck. One of hundreds of species of damsel fish. They're named for their five black bars, the same as a sergeant in military service. Queen parrot fish also feed on the coral, helping preserve the integrity of the reef that now encases the wreck. The gray angelf fish prefers sponges. Both help maintain the balance needed for a healthy ecosystem. Long retired from service, the wreck of the Benwood has evolved into an effective artificial reef. With nothing else around it, this wreck is truly an oasis. Now providing
a home to a variety of tenants here on the shipwreck trail. South of the Benwood is the next stop on Florida's shipwreck trail. Here, just below Molasses Reef that lines the shores of Kelargo is the wreck of the US Coast Guard cutter Dwayne. Shortly after becoming the oldest active US military vessel, the Dwayne was decommissioned and donated with hopes the wreck would thrive as an
artificial reef. It actually served during World War II as a as an escort ship. So it actually went across the Atlantic um escorting the uh the freighters across there and then it saw its duty um in the United States as a Coast Guard cutter and it was sunk in the 1980s. The Dwayne is still fully intact, standing upright on the ocean floor with an American flag maintained by locals still flying proudly from the tower. It lies in about 120 ft of water. She's round about 320 ft long and is home to all sorts of life. big shaws of healthy fish and also lots of different soft and hard corals as well. Though it's more intact than its companions on the shipwreck trail. After
30 years under the surface, the Dwayane too is being inundated with coral and sponges. So, because the uh because the ship has been down there for quite a while now, it's had a long time for lots of nutrients to come across on the current and those sort of smaller organisms will attach to the to the vessel. The corals are a natural they're a living organism and the color comes from the um the microbes in the gut. Millions of single cell algae called zoazenthella live in just one square in of coral. They produce pigments visible through the clear body of the coral polip, offering a pallet of dozens of different colors that now coat the surface of the wreck.
Here on the Dwayne, coral is joined by sponges of various colors and sizes. Sponges are in fact primitive animals, collections of loosely organized single cells with no organs or tissues. They rely on a constant water flow through their bodies in order to get food and oxygen. They feed on plankton and other microscopic food they pull in through tiny pores with a heavy current from the nearby Gulf Stream. It's a perfect environment for these sponges to thrive. And with all this coral and sponge life, it's also an ideal habitat for hundreds of fish.
Grunts, snappers, and barracuda now make up the crew of this former warship, circling the Dwayne in search of food and shelter and proving how valuable refra can be in preserving life under the sea. Each Reef Wreck has its own story. When it was built, what it was used for, and where it sank, all inform how a wreck evolves underwater. But not every ship has a history as well documented as those on the shipwreck trail. Just off the trail is another of the region's lost vessels, known locally as Mike's Wreck, that was until recently a mystery.
Mike's wreck is one of the more interesting wrecks on the uh on the Elbow Reef. The legend goes that a fisherman called Mike his boat sank out there one day. So Mike went back the next day to float the boat and what he found was actually there was another wreck underneath the boat that he'd sunk. Further research showed that there's actually multiple wrecks on top of each other. And just recently, one has been identified as the Hannah M. Bell. Using underwater forensics and the records of the Hannah Mbell, archaeologists confirmed the identity. The Hannah Embell was built in England in 1893.
This steelhauled steam ship was used to carry cargo like cotton, sugar, and coal. In 1911, loaded with coal and bound from Mexico, it grounded here on Elbow Reef and sank to the bottom. With the remains of the bow and stern blending into the seascape, the Hannah Mbell now provide shelter for fish which feed in the safety of the wreckage. like the city of Washington. Um, we get lots of deck plates, lots of overhangs. During the 19th century, ship builders began moving away from wood and turning to steel and iron. It's those metal components that make up most of the remains.
The smooth surface of the steel gets corroded as time goes on and it allows the coral to grab a hold and really take root onto these shipwrecks as they get older. So the older the shipwreck, the more growth When a coral polip attaches itself to something solid like the rusted iron of the Hannah Mbell, a reef is born. Hard reef building corals produce a protective limestone skeleton made of calcium carbonate, the same material as classroom chalk. A single polip then divides into thousands of clones. Their skeletons connect to one another, creating a colony that act as one.
This forms the structure of a reef. In turn, the reef attracts a variety of fish. The natural shape of a hole uh on the bottom of the ocean tends to provide a kind of a natural overhang for fish to collect under and protect themselves from larger predatory species. Queen parrot fish, jacks, grunts, and other small fish duck for cover underneath the steel overhangs that outline the wreckage. Further along, the Hannah Embell shows how diverse life can be on a reef wreck. At the end of the wreck, again, we have um some spectacular reef with the really the soft corals, the fans.
Soft corals don't produce the hard calcified skeletons of hard corals. They have just enough calcium to hold their shape. They move like colorful plants swaying in the current. Along with the sponges and gorggonas, they attract other forms of life, including one of the elder statesmen of the sea. It's believed that sea turtles have lived on Earth for 220 million years, but their numbers are dwindling. While fishermen in the 17th and 18th centuries sometimes had to divert their boats due to the massive number of turtles, now they are endangered.
Artificial reefs like this can provide a home for this important species. You see them as a solitary animal and you can see them actually eating on the reef. Green turtles eat algae from the coral. Another species native to these waters, the hawk billill turtle, prefers sponges. Its shell provides camouflage, a near perfect match to the seascape. These turtles join the many grunts snappers in a majestic collection of corals and sponges. Once a mystery, the Hannah Ambell has been shaped by time and nature and is now part of a complex ecosystem at the bottom of the sea.
Not all of Florida's shipwrecks are casualties of conflict, storms, or accidents. The wreck of the Cayman Salvage Master is located a short boat ride south of Key West and it was put there on purpose. So, the Cayman Salvage Master is about a 200t wreck in about 90 ft of water uh just off of Key West about 7 miles. The Cayman Salvage Master was delivered to the US Army in the 1930s as a mine layer. The ship enjoyed a long and checkered career on the water. Besides doing its patriotic duty during World War II, the ship eventually was used for more nefarious purposes. On its last voyage in 1980, it was seized by the US Coast Guard
carrying 1,400 illegal immigrants from Cuba. In 1985, the vessel was given a new mission, deliberately sunk to become an artificial reef. As you go down, you'll see the big wheel on the front where they used to lay the cable out and the big cable holds where it used to sit when they were spooling it out. The superructure was removed. Wires, doors, and cables were stripped out. Holes were blasted in the hall. While being towed to its target destination, a cable snapped and the ship sank. 30 m down, coming to rest on its port side.
Just a few months later, the tremendous force of Hurricane Kate flipped the vessel right side up. To prep the ship as an artificial reef, the deck was torn away, exposing a grid-like skeleton that provides extra surface area for coral to attach and grow. It's been underwater since 1985, so the coral life on it is amazing. You know, it's really taken hold on the shipwreck. A variety of colorful coral and sponges define the seascape. The open interior with its crisscrossing iron beams and thick coat of coral and sponges draws A variety of marine life, schools of Atlantic creole rass as well as large groupers.
Some, like the queen angelf fish, feast on the polyp of the soft and hard corals growing on the wreck. Others like the green mo eel hide in ambush in tight crevices formed by the wreck, waiting on passing prey. The mo eels are very curious and will often times come out of their holes and dens to investigate whatever's in their area. The Mo eel has poor eyesight and a narrow head which prevents it from creating the low pressure that other fish use to suction in food.
Instead, this predator relies on its sense of smell and a strong jaw with sharp teeth to capture small fish. A flexible second set of jaws with hooked teeth allows it to keep hold of its prey and drag it into its throat. Even in death, a mo eel cannot release its grip. For this reason, mores have gained a reputation as vicious, aggressive animals. But in truth, this often misunderstood sea creature is shy and secretive, preferring to flee and hide rather than attack and fight. Like many other species on the artificial reef, the Moa eel finds a perfect hiding spot in the Cayman Salvage Master. Once a weapon of war on the surface, this shipwreck is now resting peacefully below, supporting life on the ocean floor.
Like much of the South Atlantic, the marine habitat surrounding Florida has become increasingly threatened over the years. It's been damaged quite a bit by all types of problems that we would associate with, you know, human development. Human overuse of fossil fuels produces greenhouse gases that are warming and acidifying oceans around the world. This along with local problems like boat traffic, coastal construction, and over fishing has taken a significant toll on reefs worldwide. But not all of Florida's artificial reefs are shipwrecks.
Northwest into the open waters of the Gulf of Mexico is another underwater structure with ties to the region's rich military history. The S Tower is a decommissioned military communications tower that rises more than three stories from the sea. The Air Force still maintains and monitors the structure. And now it is thriving in its new role as an artificial reef. Just below the water, a web of beams and girders. ers disappears into the blue. It's about 45 m offshore and it's this huge tower that sticks out of the water um over 100 ft. The water depth around it is 100 ft down and it is just covered in coral life uh
soft coral sponges and fish life, biomass of just an immense proportion. Snappers and uh jacks and Goliath grouper and all kinds of different animals live on this tower. Similar to shipwrecks, marine infrastructure like steel struts or concrete foundations also create marine habitat. On the S tower, it's the soft coral that really thrives. Black coral is just a soft coral named for its dark skeleton that lies underneath a layer of brighter tissue. These don't house the photosynthesizing algae of their shallower coral cousins.
Instead, they prefer the deeper waters of the Stow tower near currents where they use tiny tentacles lined with stingers to catch and eat passing zohop plankton. At the base of the tower, Goliath grouper have congregated, weaving in and out of the contours of this structure. The Goliath groupers are enormous groupers. They can range from 40 lb up to 400 lb or bigger. Goliath groupers take 5 to 10 years before they reproduce. During that time, they are vulnerable to predators and commercial fishing.
Goliath group are one of the largest reef fish anywhere in the world. In the early part of the 1900s up until about the 1970s or 80s, uh they were under increasing pressure by fishermen and spear fishermen. So we saw declines in their populations down to some very critically low levels. In 1990, Goliath grouper were protected by the state of Florida. So it's illegal to harvest Goliath grouper. And over the past couple decades, we have seen an increase in their population. and they're starting to return not to their previous levels, but they're no longer a rare species to see. Goliath groupers prefer shallower water, feeding mostly on slowmoving fish that frequent the seafloor.
They open and close their mouths quickly, sucking in smaller fish that they swallow whole. and these groupers spawn in larger numbers, sometimes as many as 100 or more, that often travel long distances to their favorite sites. Sites include shipwrecks and undersea structures like the S tower, offshore habitats that provide food and shelter. Like the historic wrecks of the shipwreck trail and the Cayman Salvage Master, the S Tower is another retired military icon that has found a new role. Beginning in the fog of war and now continuing as a sanctuary for sea life, the location of the Florida Keys makes it an ideal home for the US Navy, but it comes with a risk.
This region is in the direct path of tropical storms and hurricanes that travel up the eastern seabboard every year. With so many storms and so many boats, it's not hard to believe locals who claim there are as many as 1,000 shipwrecks surrounding the Keys. Off Key West, in an area known as the Dry Tortugas, is the victim of one such storm. The Wind Jammer site is actually a shipwreck uh called the Avanti and it's a an iron bark built in 1875 in Scotland. It operated for many years as a bulk cargo carrier uh going between South America and Europe carrying nitrates for fertilizer and for munitions. On one journey, it carried a shipment of lumber destined for Uruguay.
It never arrived. In 1907, it was caught in a hurricane here and uh was wrecked on South Loggerhead Reef. But with that final voyage, the Wind Jammer started a new life as a marine habitat. Now, after more than a century underwater, the ship has come apart at the seams. The wreck is divided into two main sections, the bow and the midship and mast structures, each over 30 m in length. The remains lie in shallow water with part of the forward upper deck or folil visible from the surface.
This shipwreck is in 20 ft of water, white sandy bottom all around it, and it is just covered with beautiful corals. Like the historic wrecks of Shipwreck Trail, the Wind Jammer has a metal hull. This solid structure is a perfect foundation for coral growth. And the corals as they grow attract all kinds of different reef fish. You're likely to encounter Goliath grouper. Uh, you encounter yellowtail damsel fish, all kinds of grunts, queen angel fish, French angel fish, and then there's the everpresent barracuda that'll stalk you around the entire site. They're a territorial fish,
but they're not very threatening once you get used to them. An adult barracuda can be as long as a fully grown man. It has a large pointed head with prominent sharp front teeth. It uses short bursts of speed to strike its prey. And while there's plenty to choose from on the Windham Jammer, for now, this reef wreck proves to be an effective refuge for the grunts and snappers that use it as a sanctuary in their struggle to survive. with more than 1,000 rec sites,
The Florida Keys boast a vast collection of reef racks. Wrecks like the Benwood and the Dwayne all the way back to the century old city of Washington recall an historic time in these waters. Together, these veterans of conflict and commerce are finding new life as artificial reefs, helping to build a healthy ocean ecosystem for generations to come. Hey.
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