Key West · United States · Wreck · Reef
Windjammer (Avanti) Wreck
A small piece of the wreckage still breaks the surface
Photo: Acroterion · CC BY-SA 4.0
The Windjammer is the iron hull of the sailing ship Avanti, lost on Loggerhead Reef off Loggerhead Key, and the most popular dive in Dry Tortugas National Park. It lies so shallow that snorkellers and scuba divers explore it together, and the wreckage now works as an artificial reef for fish of every size.
Also known as Windjammer, Avanti, Windjammer Wreck.
Where it is and how deep
24.6189° N, 82.9321° WApproximate position — the dashed circle shows where the site lies; your operator's briefing has the mooring.
The dive
The wreck runs from the surface, where a small piece of it breaks the water, down to 6 m (20 ft). The structure works as an artificial reef, gathering fish from 200-pound jewfish down to small tropical species.
The very bow and the very stern stand highest off the bottom and hold the most marine life. The ship is broken in half, so the laminated underwater map from the park visitor center helps divers find those two ends. Visibility on the site is best during the flood tide.
The wreck
- Vessel
- Avanti
- Type
- Three-masted iron-hulled sailing ship
- Built
- 1875
- Sunk
- 1901
- Cause
- Ran onto Loggerhead Reef on passage to Montevideo with a cargo of lumber
- Lies
- On Loggerhead Reef off Loggerhead Key, from the surface down to 6 m
Built in 1875, the three-masted, iron-hulled sailing ship Avanti wrecked on Loggerhead Reef in 1901 on her way to Montevideo with a cargo of lumber. Divers know her as the Windjammer. The wreck and all historic artifacts in the park are protected by law, and the hull has since turned into an artificial reef.
Marine life and season
- Groupers
- Reef fish swarms
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Good | Good | Good | Good | Prime | Prime | Prime | Fair | Fair | Fair | Good | Good |
Season follows Key West: Boats dive all year; May to October brings the warmest water and best visibility, but August to October is hurricane season.
Dive videos
Exploring the MASSIVE Avanti Windjammer Shipwreck! · Reef Native on YouTube
Questions divers ask
Is the Windjammer wreck suitable for snorkellers?+
Yes. The wreck lies from the surface down to 6 m, so snorkellers and scuba divers explore it together; visibility is best on the flood tide.
Sources
- Swimming, Snorkeling, and Diving - Dry Tortugas National Park — National Park Service
- Windjammer Wreck — ScubaGo
Photo credits
- A low sandy island with palm trees and a tall white-and-black lighthouse, seen across deep blue water under a pale sky by Acroterion, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
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