Unlike many other parts of the world many of the shipwrecks around Florida are not naturally occurring, but have been sunk to form artificial reefs. Florida has more artificial reefs than any other areas in the world and also sports the two largest ships every sunk intentionally for recreational use.
1. USS ORISKANY - 32,000 ton Aircraft Carrier
2. SPIEGEL GROVE - 6880 ton Landing Dock Ship

As for other shipwrecks, they would seem to be very sparse as very few naval conflicts have occurred around the state of Florida. WW1 yielded none and even WW2 yielded just few shipwrecks from U-boat attacks on Merchant Ships in the Gulf of Mexico and on the east coast of Florida. Compared to that of say the English Channel, the number is very small.

Also the detection of shipwrecks in the Gulf of Mexico is somewhat of a challenge because of the very deep water that occurs once you get some 100 miles offshore. There are many more to be found but they will only be able to be investigated by ROV's etc.

Capt. Tony Allen 17th July 2007

 AUE (Association of Underwater Explorers) IDENTIFY the MUNGER T BALL and the JOSEPH M CUDHAY in the Gulf of Mexico.

www.uwex.us

The shipwrecks known as the PHOSPHATE WRECK and the "OIL WRECK" in the Gulf of Mexico off Fort Myers have been identified by the Association of Underwater Explorers as the MUNGER T BALL (Phosphate Wreck) and the JOSEPH M CUDAHY (Oil Wreck). The search for the "NORLINDO" continues, but she's probably in very deep water.

 NEW UNDERWATER DISCOVERY ON FLORIDA'S GULF COAST


In 1967 a Coastguard Grumman Albatross plane was lost answering a distress call to a vessel called the "Flying Fish". The weather conditions at the time were reported as winds 15 knots, seas 2 to 3 feet, but the visibility was zero as the search area was covered in fog.

In 2006 a local charter fishing Captain reported an obstruction that he had found in the Gulf to Michael C Barnette of the AUE (Association of Underwater Explorers)

In July 2006 Michael Barnette and colleagues dived on the site and found that it was the lost Grumman Albatross plane. Only three of the crew were recovered after the accident.