Discovering Cancun's USS Harlequin Shipwreck

Discovering Cancun's USS Harlequin Shipwreck! USS Harlequin (AM-365) was an Admirable-class minesweeper built for the United States Navy during World War II. She served in the Atlantic during World War II. She was decommissioned in May 1946 and placed in reserve. While she remained in reserve, Harlequin was reclassified as MSF-365 in February 1955 but never reactivated.

In October 1962, she was sold to the Mexican Navy and renamed ARM DM-20. From 1976–1978 she was converted to an oceanographic research vessel and renamed ARM Oceanográfico (H02) around the same time. In 1993 she was renamed ARM General Pedro María Anaya (A08). In the late 1990s, she was again renamed, this time to ARM Aldabaran (BE02), as a school ship. As of 2007, Aldebaran remained in active service with the Mexican Navy. The vessel was later sunk to create an artificial reef.

USS Harlequin mostly locally known as General Anaya lies in an area of water frequented by manta rays, barracuda, groupers and other impressive marine life. Now the vessel split in two, all the ship’s rooms are accessible to divers, making this a fascinating and many-faceted dive experience.