SCUBA Diving The Benwood Wreck at Key Largo, Florida

Location:
The Benwood Wreck, Key Largo, Florida, U.S.A.

Coordinates:
Lat 25°03.160’ N, Long 80°20.020’W

The Benwood Wreck:

Beneath the warm, turquoise waters of the Florida Keys lies the rusting remains of the Benwood, a World War II-era merchant freighter that met its fate under the cover of darkness. Today, the wreck is one of the most famous dive sites in the region, but its story is one of wartime caution, tragic miscalculation, and an unintended underwater sanctuary.

A Dangerous Voyage

The Benwood, a 360-foot steel-hulled freighter built in 1910, was on a routine voyage along the Florida coast in April 1942. Laden with phosphate rock and bound for Norfolk, Virginia, from Tampa, Florida, the ship’s captain, Frederick Granfield, had to navigate dangerous waters. The United States was newly engaged in World War II, and German U-boats patrolled the Atlantic, sinking Allied vessels with deadly efficiency. To minimize the risk of detection, the Benwood traveled under blackout conditions—no running lights, no signals, only the moonlight to guide it.

That same night, the 445-foot tanker Robert C. Tuttle was also sailing nearby, its crew similarly navigating in darkness. The Tuttle, an oil tanker bound for Texas, was also taking precautions against the lurking German submarines.

A Fatal Miscalculation

As the two ships unknowingly closed in on each other, the darkness obscured their paths. Around midnight on April 9, 1942, Captain Granfield of the Benwood spotted what he believed to be another vessel’s silhouette—possibly a U-boat. Attempting to avoid a collision, he altered course, but in the confusion, the Benwood and the Robert C. Tuttle were on a collision path.

The impact was catastrophic. The Benwood’s bow crashed into the Tuttle’s port side, crumpling the hull and causing a gaping hole in its forward section. While the Tuttle managed to remain afloat and eventually be repaired, the Benwood was not so fortunate. Taking on water rapidly, Captain Granfield made the difficult decision to abandon ship. The crew managed to escape before the vessel settled beneath the waves, sinking in about 50 feet of water near French Reef.

A New Life Beneath the Sea

Initially, the U.S. Coast Guard deemed the wreck a navigational hazard. To mitigate the risk to other vessels, portions of the ship were salvaged, and the U.S. Navy used the wreck for target practice, further breaking apart the structure. Over time, however, the ocean claimed the Benwood as its own.

Today, the remains of the Benwood serve as a thriving artificial reef, home to a vibrant marine ecosystem. Schools of colorful fish dart between the skeletal ribs of the ship, while sea turtles, moray eels, and nurse sharks patrol its shadowed corridors. Coral and sponges have encrusted the hull, transforming the tragedy of war into a sanctuary for marine life.

For divers, the Benwood is an accessible and awe-inspiring site, offering a glimpse into both history and nature’s resilience. Though it met its end in an accidental collision, the ship’s story continues—etched into the rusting steel and coral-covered remains that rest beneath the waves of the Florida Keys.