Hydro Atlantic

Hydro Atlantic

Fort Lauderdale Dive Sites

The Hydro Atlantic was a 300 foot long 64 foot beam ship built in 1905 for the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and was originally named the Delaware.

Fort Lauderdale – Wreck Diving

She was a sea going dredger that worked hard during her working life and had a refit in 1961 and after numerous owners finally in 1968 came into the ownership of the Hydromar Corp and renamed Hydro Atlantic.

By December 1987 she had finished her working life and was being towed to a salvage yard when she sunk in just over 160 feet of water and landed on the seabed upright and intact making this a dive for the technical and experienced diver. She can be found located just one mile East of the Boca Raton Inlet.

This is a deep dive in an area with little current but you will need to be an experienced diver before any of the local diving centers will take you here. If you are lucky enough to dive at this wreck then you are in for a treat. This wreck is a real shipwreck, sunk without any preparation and fortunately for us sitting upright on the seabed with a huge crane amidships, with one of the ships main anchors at its base. When you explore further you will find the winch intact on the bow and the engine is still in the engine room as no-one has stripped this ship for scuba diving. This is one of Florida’s true shipwrecks.

There is plenty of marine life in and around the wreck with schooling baitfish greeting you as you arrive on deck and coral growth taking over the ship.

Fort Lauderdale Scuba Videos

One of the attractions of Fort Lauderdale scuba diving is that you will be able to take underwater photographs or underwater videos such as the one below.The waters are warm and clear so you will be able to get some good shots.

This amazing video was taken at the wreck of the ship… take a look at the swarm of baitfish and the detail of the wreck … stunning! (Press the button second right on the bottom of the video player to see it in full screen)…

Terence’s Log

This is one of the most popular technical dives in Florida. The ship remains intact and is a genuine shipwreck so everything is still there, the crane, winch, engine etc.

This is one dive you will want to do over and over again – a must do dive!