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Fort Myers & Sanibel · United States · Wreck

Bayronto Wreck

A 1919 hurricane wreck home to a large population of goliath grouper

A 121-metre (400-foot) freighter that sank in a hurricane in 1919 and now lies in 30 m (100 feet) of water in the Gulf of Mexico. The hull is home to a large population of goliath grouper, and its depth means charters ask for advanced certification.

Where it is and how deep

Depth profile of Bayronto Wreck: typical dive to 30 m (to 100 ft) 18 m · Open Water30 m · Advanced40 m · Recreational limit30 mtypical dive
Depths on a shared scale to 40 m (130 ft); dashed lines mark common certification limits.

No published position for this site — the map shows Fort Myers & Sanibel and its other sites; operators know the mooring.

The dive

The Bayronto lies in 30 m (100 feet) of water, so the descent is a long one down to the hull on the seabed. The freighter is 121 m (400 feet) long and 15 m (50 feet) wide, and the charter that runs here makes it a two-tank day on the wreck, with both dives spent on the same hull.

More than a century on the bottom has covered the 1919 hurricane wreck in soft and hard corals, and it is now home to a large population of goliath grouper. At 30 m (100 feet) no-decompression time is short.

The wreck

Vessel
Bayronto
Type
Freighter
Length
121 m (397 ft)
Sunk
1919
Cause
Sank in a hurricane
Lies
In 30 m (100 feet) of water in the Gulf of Mexico

Marine life and season

  • Groupers
Month-by-month season rating for Bayronto Wreck
JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
FairFairFairFairFairFairFairFairFairFairFairFair

Season follows Fort Myers & Sanibel: Diving runs all year; no month stands out. January has the coolest water, near 19 C, and the summer peak reaches about 30 C.

Know before you go

  • The wreck lies at 30 m (100 feet); plan a short bottom time and watch gas and no-decompression limits.
  • Goliath grouper are large animals; give them room and do not crowd or touch them.

Dive videos

11/10/2001 Gulf of Mexico Bayronto Wreck Dive · StormChasingVideo on YouTube

Questions divers ask

How deep is the Bayronto wreck?+

The Bayronto lies in 30 m (100 feet) of water. The 121-metre (400-foot) freighter sank in a hurricane in 1919.

What marine life lives on the Bayronto wreck?+

The wreck is home to a large population of goliath grouper.

Sources

  1. Fort Myers diving - GoodDive.com — GoodDive
  2. Bayronto Shipwreck Trip - Aristakat Charters — Aristakat Charters

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