The Underwater Archaeological Preserves

In 1987, Florida began to develop a statewide system of underwater parks featuring shipwrecks and other historic sites. The shipwreck preserves have become popular attractions for skin and scuba diving visitors to witness a part of Florida's history first-hand. They contain not only interesting archaeological features, but also an abundance of marine life that make the parks living museums in the sea. Each site is interpreted by an underwater plaque; a brochure and laminated underwater guides are available from local dive shops. The parks are open to the public year round, free of charge. There are eleven parks at present, and several others under development.

Future Preserves

If, in the course of your underwater explorations, you find a site that might be a potential candidate for a new Underwater Archaeological Preserve, you are encouraged to nominate it for consideration. The Bureau of Archaeological Research invites nominations for new underwater preserves throughout the State of Florida, whether located in inland waters, or offshore within Florida's territorial waters. A preserve should have public access, favorable diving conditions, and interesting cultural and natural site features. If selected, a site may then be designated as a preserve through a cooperative project between government and the public. The development of a new park is an excellent opportunity for a diving group to become involved in an underwater project with lasting results.

The parks are only made possible by a cooperative effort on the part of state and local government, waterfront businesses, and volunteer divers who appreciate Florida's heritage. By placing underwater resources in the public trust, and by explaining their archaeological and historical value to visitors, these sites become important for everyone to preserve. At present, California, Maryland, Michigan, New York, North Carolina, and Vermont have established similar programs. Other state governments are likely to follow this example of education through recreation in the near future.

How to Visit

There are currently eleven underwater preserves on historic sites throughout the state. You can click on a picture or a site name for more information. To protect the cultural and natural features of the parks, boats are required to tie up to mooring buoys, and spear fishing is not allowed on some preserves. Always display a "diver down" flag. Some sites require additional safety equipment or precautions.

Urca de Lima
At the site of one of the fabled Spanish treasure fleet wrecks that sank during a hurricane in 1715 off present-day Ft. Pierce, the Urca de Lima park was opened to the public in September 1987.

San Pedro
In April 1989, a second underwater preserve was opened at the site of the San Pedro, a galleon of the 1733 Spanish Plate Fleet that was wrecked in the Florida Keys near Islamorada.

City of Hawkinsville
The third underwater park was opened in 1992. The City of Hawkinsville, located in Old Town, was a Suwannee River steamboat sunk in the 1920s.

USS Massachusetts (BB-2)
The 350-foot long battleship USS Massachusetts, resting beneath the waters of Pensacola Pass, became the fourth underwater preserve in June 1993.

SS Copenhagen
This addition to the preserve system was dedicated in June 1994. The SS Copenhagen was a steamer that crashed into a reef offshore of Lauderdale-by-the Sea in 1900.

SS Tarpon
Dedicated in the Spring of 1997,the SS Tarpon was a steamer that went down in a storm off of the coast of Panama City Beach in 1937.

Half Moon
The wreck of the Half Moon recently was nominated to become a Preserve by Miami diver Terry Helmers. Located off Key Biscayne near Miami, the wreck of the Half Moon lies in shallow water on a sandy bottom.

Lofthus
Before wrecking off Manalapan in 1898, the eighth preserve Lofthus traveled the world as a merchant ship, attempting to avoid pirates with her painted-on gunports.

Vamar
The ninth preserve, Vamar sailed to Antartica with Rear-Admiral Richard Byrd under the name Eleanor Bolling, eventually wrecking under mysterious circumstances in WWII-era Port St. Joe.

Regina
Underwater archaeologists from the Bureau of Archaeological Research and sport diver volunteers spent the month of March mapping the state's tenth preserve, Regina.

Georges Valentine
The eleventh preserve, Georges Valentine, a steel-hulled Italian bark loaded with a cargo of lumber, sank in a violent storm off Stuart 1906.