Thunderbolt Wreck

If you go scuba diving in Marathon, Florida Keys you will visit some of the best diving in the world with everything from snorkeling or scuba diving corals reefs to wreck diving some of the largest modern artificial reef sites in the world.

Marathon Diving – Thunderbolt Wreck

If you go scuba diving to the Florida Keys, Marathon will be ideal as a base to travel to dive sites such as Thunderbolt Wreck where you will be able to take a spectacular scuba diving photo.

The wreck is located sitting upright on the sea bed just south of Coffins Reef some 5 miles southeast of Marathon, Florida Keys.

At a depth of 110ft and the potential for strong currents only advanced divers will be allowed to dive this site by Marathon, Florida Keys dive centers.

The ship sits on the bottom and reaches up to 45ft from the surface and as the ship is approached the huge propellers provide an awesome sight together with the view of the huge cable laying wheel now encrusted with marine life.

This dive is an excellent experience for those qualified to dive.

The ship was carefully prepared before sinking and therefore has access to some interesting parts of the ships structure such as the wheelhouse and engine room.

There is plenty to see and do at this site with sponges, hard and soft corals providing a back drop to silversides, barracuda, amberjack, grouper and tarpon to name but a few.

Interesting facts about the Thunderbolt

Built by Marietta Manufacturing Company, Point Pleasant, West Virginia
190ft cable laying navy vessel – used as a Minelayer initially
Initial service June 2nd 1942
Originally named USS Randolph
Purchased and used by Florida Power and Light for lightening experiments in 1980
Renamed the ‘Thunderbolt’ after the thunderbolt strikes upon the vessels structure following the experiments
Deliberately sunk March 1986

Marathon Scuba Videos

One of the attractions of Florida Key scuba diving is that you will be able to take underwater photographs or underwater videos such as the one below. With excellent light and clear waters you will be able to get some excellent shots.

This video was taken at Thunderbolt Wreck and it gives you an idea of what to expect diving off the Florida coast … look at the size of that Jewfish! (Press the button second right on the bottom of the video player to see it in full screen)…

Terence’s Log

Thunderbolt Wreck
Depth: 14m-36m (45-120ft)
Visibility: 10-30m (33-99ft)
Plenty of fish
Advanced
Wreck Diving
Snorkeling: No

A strong currents on the way down, but at just 25ft down it was a fabulous sight to see her sat upright and intact.

There were plenty of access points throughout the ship and the exploration of the engine room was fantastic.

But my favorite part of the dive was when I met a large jewfish, he was huge!

Thunderbolt Wreck