wreck

Belzona 2

wreck in Miami Beach

Details

0
Open Water
Minimum Recommended Certification
Max Depth 60 ft
Average Depth 55 ft
Access
Temporary Line
GPS coordinates
25° 41.796' N
80° 05.271' W
Frequently visiting operators
img-blur-shadow Deco Divers
img-blur-shadow Divers Paradise
img-blur-shadow Ace Diving

Best Gases

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Gas mix
Gas Price (Single)
Aluminum 80 $13.00
Steel HP 100 $13.00
Steel LP 85 $13.00
Nitrox

🎥 Florida Reel

Upcoming trips (4)

Operator Date Time Availability

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Trip Name

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Deco Divers 2024-07-05 08:30 30 Dema Trader (80’) / Belcher Trek (60’)
Deco Divers 2024-10-06 08:30 30 Belcher Wreck Trek (60') / Neptune Memorial (40')
Deco Divers 2024-10-09 18:30 30 Orion (90') / Belcher Wreck Trek (60') - NITE DIVE
Deco Divers 2024-10-13 08:30 30 Belcher Trek 60’ / Neptune 40’

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Wreck Details

img-blur-shadow
Tugboat
Sunk date February 21st, 2991
img-blur-shadow img-blur-shadow
90 ft ft
Length Beam

Site Description

This is a very popular site for entry level divers. It sits only 170 feet south of Belcher barge. There is no penetration on this deck and very little is left from its original structure: only the walls of the wheelhouse are still standing.

Marine life is good but not the most abundant here - probably fish prefer the barge near by that offers much more and better shelter.

Route

A couple of laps above the wreck are enough to get to see everything that's there to explore.

Divers on the Belzona trek, shall continue south (and south east) to find the Belzona 1 and Belzona 3 wrecks.

Typical Conditions

Conditions vary in this site. Although visibility is mostly good, it's not completely unusual to have 40 feet or less.

Wreck History

Originally constructed as the Henry E. Gillen in 1915 at Ashtabula, Ohio, by the Great Lakes Engineering Works, this 75-foot-long vessel featured a 400-horsepower steam engine and displaced 96 tons. During World War I, the U.S. Navy considered using her as a patrol craft (with identification ID-1789), but she was never officially enrolled. Over the years, she underwent several name changes: from Lasalle in 1922 to John I. Roche in 1940, and later as Barney Nelson in 1959. In 1965, she received a power upgrade with a 500-horsepower diesel engine and became the Gayle K. By 1971, Crocker Engineering owned her, renaming her the Raven. However, her ownership shifted multiple times in the 1970s, leading to her eventual removal from documentation on December 14, 1979.


Fast forward to January 12, 1982, when Russell and Sandra Barnes of Miami purchased the tug. Although her exact service during this period remains unclear, there are rumors that she played a role in the Mariel Boat Lift from Cuba. Eventually, she was sold to Honduran registry on August 6, 1990, and rechristened the Miramar Express. Her final chapter unfolded when Belzona America, Incorporated sponsored her transformation into an artificial reef. On February 4, 1991, she found her new home beneath the waves, resting in 70 feet of water approximately 150 feet west-northwest of Belzona Three.


Divers exploring the area—known as the “Belzona Wreck Trek”—will encounter rebar stakes in the sand, guiding them between various wrecks. While the tug remains largely intact, Hurricane Andrew exposed the amidships area. Not far away lies the Belcher Barge, upside down and spanning 195 feet. For those seeking further underwater adventures, a swim of approximately 200 feet eastward leads to the Hav Parker III and Schurger’s Barge .