Treasure Coast · United States · Wreck
Breconshire Wreck (Boiler Wreck)
A boiler standing out of the water about 90 m off the beach
The Breconshire is an iron-hulled steamship that ran aground off Vero Beach in 1894 and now lies trapped between the fourth and fifth reef lines. One of her boilers breaks the surface about 90 m (300 feet) off the beach and is visible from shore, and the rest of the wreck sits in 4.5-6 m (15-20 feet), a shallow shore dive for novice and experienced divers alike.
Also known as SS Breconshire, Boiler Wreck.
Where it is and how deep
27.6525° N, 80.3510° WApproximate position — the dashed circle shows where the site lies; your operator's briefing has the mooring.
The dive
The dive starts from the beach below Sexton Plaza with the target already in sight: a large boiler protruding through the water about 90 m (300 feet) out. Divers swim out towards it and descend beside it. The bottom here is only 4.5-6 m (15-20 feet) deep, and the wreck lies trapped between the fourth and fifth reef lines, where the ship came to rest after running aground.
Two more boilers lie next to the one visible from shore, and a substantial amount of structure is spread around them in the shallows. Barnacles and other growth cover the metal, and sea turtles, snook, snapper and tropical fish move around the wreck. With the whole site this shallow, the dive is a slow circuit of the boilers and the structure between them before the swim back to the beach.
The wreck
- Vessel
- SS Breconshire
- Type
- Schooner-rigged, iron-hulled steamship
- Length
- 91 m (299 ft)
- Built
- 1884
- Sunk
- 1894
- Cause
- Ran aground on a reef off Vero Beach
- Lies
- Trapped between the fourth and fifth reef lines in 4.5-6 m, with three boilers
The SS Breconshire was a schooner-rigged, iron-hulled steamship built in Sunderland, England, in 1884. She was 91 m (300 feet) long and 11 m (37 feet) wide, with compound engines of 350 horsepower alongside her sails. She sank in 1894 after hitting a reef off Vero Beach, and the wreck is now trapped between the fourth and fifth reef lines, with a boiler still visible from the beach.
Marine life and season
- Sea turtles
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fair | Fair | Fair | Fair | Fair | Fair | Fair | Fair | Fair | Fair | Fair | Fair |
Season follows Treasure Coast: Diveable all year and no month stands out; the water averages about 22 °C in January, the coldest month, and 29 °C in August.
Know before you go
- Barnacles, sharp objects and other growth cover the wreck; keep clear of the metal, especially when conditions are less than ideal.
- A lot of structure in only 4.5-6 m (15-20 feet) of water makes surge dangerous; avoid the site on days with poor visibility and strong surge.
Dive videos
The Boiler Wreck of Vero Beach · Finding The Dive on YouTube
Questions divers ask
How deep is the Breconshire wreck?+
The Breconshire lies in 4.5-6 m (15-20 feet) of water, and one of its boilers breaks the surface about 90 m (300 feet) off the beach.
Where is the parking for the Breconshire wreck dive?+
Sexton Plaza, a drive-through parking lot overlooking the ocean between the Holiday Inn and Ocean Grill Restaurant in Vero Beach.
Sources
- Beach Dive Sites - Sebastian to Vero — Deep Six Dive & Watersports
- SS Breconshire Shipwreck — Florida Scuba Diving
- List of shipwrecks of Florida — Wikipedia
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