Scuba Diving the Miss Dania Beach in Fort Lauderdale
Miss Dania Beach is a shipwreck south of Port Everglades just offshore from Hollywood Beach.
Diving the Miss Dania Beach Shipwreck
Miss Dania Beach
April 29, 2004
126′ Freighter
Possible below the deck and in the wheelhouse
70 feet
Open Water or Advanced
26° 00.605′ N 80° 05.502′ W
History of the Miss Dania Beach Shipwreck
Built in 1951, Miss Dania Beach was formerly known as HMCS Porte St. Jean of the Royal Canadian Navy. For decades, the vessel saw most of its action along the coast of Nova Scotia and the frigid Canadian waters.
After retiring in 1996, the ship ended up in the possession of a local Fort Lauderdale businessman, Robert Derecktor. Passing away in 2001, his plans to convert the ship into a yacht were foiled. Instead, the vessel was sunk off of Hollywood Beach as a memorial to Mr. Derecktor.
On April, 29 of 2004, the Broward County Artificial Reef Program sent her to the depths of the ocean in 70 feet of water.
Navigating Miss Dania Beach
Today, Miss Dania Beach sits upright in the sand with a slight list to port. She sits on a general north to south axis with the stern of the boat pointing north and the bow pointing south. Divers visiting the area will be treated to an array of marine life including jacks, spadefish, grunts, and the occasional Goliath Grouper.
The deck of the boat is relatively flat except towards the bow, where penetration is possible. Additionally, divers can drop into the open cargo bays on the top of the deck. Once inside, divers can find swim throughs, cracks, crevices, ports, and other penetration opportunities.
The wreck itself isn’t massive by any means at 126′ in length. Divers can easily explore all of the wreck on one tank with some possible time to spare.
Some other points of interest include the propeller towards the stern and the behemoth anchor chain trailing just behind it.
Dive Shops that Visit Miss Dania Beach
Two dive charters in Fort Lauderdale make frequent trips to this shipwreck:
- American Dream Dive Charters: aboard their 46′ Newton Dive Boat, the American Dream operates a pristine operation suitable for divers of all levels. Their crew is professional, knowledgable, and accommodating for any passenger that climbs aboard!
- Sea Experience: this full service dive shop is tucked away in the Bahia Mar Marina on Fort Lauderdale Beach. Their twin engine catamaran provides a smooth ride to and from all the best dive sites in the Fort Lauderdale area!
What You May See Diving in Fort Lauderdale
Miss Dania Beach features just about every reef fish existent in South Florida. Additionally, a goliath grouper often likes to hang out below deck in the cargo bays!
Dive Planning in Fort Lauderdale
Reef Smart Guides makes the best book for diving throughout Broward County. If you plan to do any reasonable amount of diving in the area, I recommend you purchase it!
Reef Smart Guides – Fort Lauderdale
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Read More About Scuba Diving in Fort Lauderdale
We hope you enjoyed our post on diving the Miss Dania Beach Shipwreck. Hopefully you’ll find it useful on your next adventure! Here are a few more dive sites we think you might enjoy:
Have you been diving on this shipwreck before? Leave a comment below with any questions below!
