U.S.S. MOHAWK WRECK

The USS Mohawk was found in a Staten Island scrap yard by Frans Boetes, then president and CEO of Mohawk’s Memorial Museum. She had been there rusting for over 15 years. After some initial repairs, she was towed to Miami, where substantial repairs were made, and on to Key West where she was berthed at the inner quay wall, at the old Navy pier in the Truman Waterfront.

Considered Southwest Florida’s crown jewel of wreck dives, this 165-foot Coast Guard cutter ship sank in July of 2012 as part of Lee County’s artificial reef-building program. The former World War II era vessel sits perfectly upright in 90 feet of water approximately 28 miles off the coast of Fort Myers. The cutter’s crow’s nest extends up to just 35 foot below the surface, with the main deck of the ship sitting at a depth of 60 feet.

Despite being a relatively young habitat, the ship already has become home to dozens of Goliath grouper, many weighing over 300 pounds, and also is a frequent stop-off point for whale sharks as they make their way toward the coast to spawn.

For those who are wreck-dive certified, the ship’s galleys and captain’s deck are accessible, offering a haunting look at the “Mighty Mo’s” past life.

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