AQUANAUT Key West

The Aquanaut is the wreck of a 55 foot wood hulled tug boat now resting in 75 feet of water. This former work boat owned by Chet Alexander originally sank while sitting at dock. After raising the ship and determining that she was not salvageable, the Aquanaut was stripped, towed out to sea and sunk as an artificial reef in 1967. 

Sitting upright this wreck remained intact for some time. Divers could safely enter the wreck's wheel house and forward crew's quarters but were cautioned against other penetration because of hanging wire and debris that had not been cleared. According to Billy Deans, owner of a local dive operation, the Aquanaut is now broken up and scattered. Marine life here includes arrow crabs, spiny oysters and mahogany snappers. This little wreck is excellent for wide angle photography on clear days.

Basic shipwreck information and images for this section of this site was taken with permission from the book Florida Shipwrecks by Daniel Berg. You are invited to submit your shipwreck related articles, images and information. As long as the text, photographs, sketches etc are of professional quality we will showcase them. Full credit will be provided and a same page link to your web site can be arranged.