The US Coast Guard Cutter Duane, photographed from a depth of 100′ off of Key Largo, FL. ©Don Bermant
One of the spectacular dive sites near our home port in Ocean Reef, Florida, is the US Coast Guard Cutter Duane. Launched in 1936 The Duane served a diverse and distinguished 49-year career from the South Pacific and Vietnam to Greenland and the Mediterranean. The Duane was decommissioned on August 1, 1985 as the oldest active U.S. military vessel. The cutter was deliberately sunk on November 27, 1987 to create an artificial reef about a mile south of Molasses Reef.
We have made one dive on The Duane and look forward to many more to explore this huge ship; in a single dive we examined only about one-half of her 327 ft. length (beam 41 ft). She rests upright in 118 ft. deep water with the main deck level at 100 ft.