Diving the Mercedes Shipwreck in Fort Lauderdale

The Mercedes Shipwreck in Fort Lauderdale is a behemoth of a boat lying in a graveyard of twisted metal amongst a natural coral reef 90 feet below the surface. The unique setting provides divers with one of the most thrilling underwater experiences in South Florida.

Diving the Mercedes I Shipwreck in Fort Lauderdale:

History of the Mercedes I Shipwreck in Fort Lauderdale:

One of the few shipwrecks in South Florida with a famous and notorious history to the area. In November of 1984, the Mercedes actually washed ashore in Palm Beach after breaking free of its anchor during a wicked storm.

The wreck happened to land on the property of beloved Palm Beach local, Mollie Wilmot, a famous philanthropist and socialite. Naturally, the story was front page news.

It was a sight to see for weeks as state crews worked tirelessly to pull the boat from the beach at an extraordinary cost to the taxpayers. Soon after its removal, Broward County purchased the Mercedes I from the state for $29,000 and sunk her in March of 1985.

The beaching and notoriety of the story made for a spectacle as 20,000 people watched as the ship was loaded with dynamite and sunk to the bottom of the ocean.

Mercedes I Shipwreck Dive Overview:

Nature hasn’t been too kind to the Mercedes as it sits in 90 – 100 feet of water in two separate pieces. Hurricane Andrew, amongst others, has battered and bruised the once proud German ship.

The bow and the stern sit roughly 200 feet apart north to south with layers of twisted metal between the two. It’s a glorious field of artificial reef filled with all sorts of critters and fish. Take it nice and slow – you never know what you might find here.

At the bow and the stern, some points of penetration are possible but nothing exceedingly deep. Like I said, the wreck is in rough shape down there so watch out for entanglements and hanging pieces of metal. Obviously, only penetrate if you’ve been properly trained to do so!

The Mercedes I is our favorite shipwreck in the area as it also sits right amongst the third tier of reef along the Florida Reef Tract. If you get bored of the shipwreck, it’s easy to bounce right into massive patch reefs filled with all sorts of life! Literally, endless supplies of marine life to see!

Dive Planning on the Mercedes Shipwreck in Fort Lauderdale:

When available, we highly recommend Reef Smart Cards for any dive. They create beautiful waterproof cards that play a critical role in your dive plan.

What Dive Shops go to the Mercedes I Shipwreck in Fort Lauderdale?

• American Dream Dive Charters behind the Hilton on 17th Avenue just south of downtown. They run a great, clean, and basic operation aboard their Newton Dive Boat. Don’t hesitate to book with their crew!
• Sea Experience in Bahia Mar Marina on Fort Lauderdale Beach. This is a full dive shop with classes, charters, retail, and guides. If you’re a new open water diver, we suggest you book with Sea Experience to ensure everything is taken care of. If you want a dive guide, call and request for either Andrew or Laura and tell them we sent you!

Help Protect the Coral Reef During Your Dive

Sunscreen! Shocking, I know! In fact, many popular sunscreen brands contain extremely harmful chemicals to our coral! Specifically, oxybenzone and octinoxate.

Because of this, we’ve partnered with our favorite brand of reef safe sunscreen, Stream2Sea! We want to get YOU discounts so you can help save our coral reefs with reef safe sunscreen!