BELZONA ONE Miami

The 85 foot tug boat Belzona One served throughout the Bahamas. According to shipwreck historian, Joel Auerbach, the Belzona One was originally named Tug Mitza, then James G, then Alco Caribe, then Holley. She was gutted by a fire and then purchased by a Miami salvage company. The plan was to restore the tug, but it soon became apparent that this was not feasible. Belzona America, Inc., purchased the vessel and donated her to be sunk as an artificial reef site. Renamed the Belzona One, she was sunk on May 30, 1990, by the Miami and Dade County Bomb Squads. She rests in the Key Biscayne Artificial Reef Site and sits upright in 72 feet of water. Belzona Inc. has provided funding for a total of three wrecks to be sunk off Key Biscayne. The entire site will be known as the Belzona Triangle, and each of the wrecks will be connected by rope so divers can navigate between them.

Photo: Tlte Belzona One sailed under many names, one of which was the Alco Caribe. Photo courtesy Russ McCain.

BELZONA TWO Miami

The 90 foot long wrought iron tug Belzona Two was built in the early 1900's. She was originally named Raven and operated on the Great Lakes. Later sailing under the name Miramar Express, she carried a boat load of refugees during the Cuba Boat lift. The Belzona Two was sunk on February 4, 1991. She lies in 68 feet of water, 150 feet west of the Belzona One.

Photo: The 90 foot long wrought iron tug Belzona Two was sunk as a reef on February 4, 1991. Photo courtesy Belzona Inc.

BELZONA THREE Miami

Originally named the Carinthia, this tug was built in 1953 at the Avondale Shipyards near New Orleans for LaFournier Towing Company. She was sold and renamed Thomas C. Phillips in 1963. The tug cruised from New Orleans to Puerto Rico until 1975 when she was sold to Penobscot Bay Towing Company in Maine. In 1978 she was sold to Warren George Drilling Company of Jersey City, NJ, and renamed Michael H. Holmes. In 1980, Ocean Operators bought the tug and renamed her Catherine M. She sailed until 1989 when a catastrophic engine failure ended her working career. Byrd Diving and Salvage Company of Miami bought the tug and in turn sold her to Belzona America to be converted into an artificial reef. The 105 foot ocean going tugboat named Belzona Three was sunk on June 25, 1991. This wreck completed the Belzona Triangle artificial reef site.