On Thursday March 4, David Rufft and I set out to dive the Benwood Wreck, located on the reef line about 4 miles off Key Largo - between Dixie Shoal and French Reef. The Benwood collided with the Robert C Tuttle in 1942 while running dark during WWII. The Benwood was run onto the reef by its captain as it begin taking on water. It now rests in 25-40' with the bow facing seaward. In the decades the wreck has been there, the upper hull has been blown off to protect navigation. The remaining lower hull has become a haven for coral and fish. On this dive we see parrot fish, angelfish, various types of snapper, filefish, lobster and even a spotted drumfish.
We had the wreck to ourselves for this dive. Although it was cloudy and the water was a cool 74 degrees, the seas were light and the dive was very enjoyable.
Click the link below for a 3 minute video of the dive. You can also find in on the New Content Page as well as my Youtube channel: youtube.com/markhewitt3.