The 20th anniversary of the storied intentional sinking of a former naval ship to become an artificial reef in the Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary was celebrated May 17 in Key Largo.
The 510-foot-long Spiegel Grove captured international interest when it sank prematurely May 17, 2002, and landed with its upside-down bow protruding above the ocean’s surface about 6 miles off Key Largo. A massive remediation effort began, resulting in the former landing ship dock being fully sunk on its starboard side June 10, 2002.
