Here are some pix from our recent trip to the Spiegel Grove - the ship for which we've been waiting the entire summer. It is a retired Navy Landing Ship Dock (LSD) and is 510 ft. in length and almost 90 ft. wide. It currently rests on it's starboard side in 130 ft. of water 6 miles off the Key Largo coast. Because of it's size and the layout, the port side (now the top) is as shallow as 45 ft deep.
Also, some of the pictures may appear to be sideways. Remember, that's the layout of the ship now and the way that they actually appeared to us. If that bothers you, turn your head to the right.
This is what is now the top side of the ship at midship. It really
is the port side. It rests in about 45'-50' of water.
The Spiegel Grove.
The bow of the ship, 100' deep, with the Dual Porpoise's shirt attached
to it - their own little piece for all the work they've did on the ship.
Some of the ship's superstructure.
Although you probably wouldn't know unless I told you, this is the
liferaft holders, and like any good sunken ship, they have previously been
deployed - had to get the old crew off some how.
Angela deep within the bowels of the ship.
Throughout the ship, there are open doors and cut-outs that were intentionally
put in to allow divers safe access to the inside of the vessel.
Angela insisted that we take this picture. This is typical of
what you see in all of the compartments that are open - a door on the floor.
Also typical of what is seen in the compartments are things like sinks
attached to the walls, which puts them almost on the floor now.
And, as all good divers know, a deep dive is not complete without a
safety stop at 15 ft. for 3 minutes.
And how about a shot looking up the mooring line during that safety
stop?