Deep Freeze

Originally launched as the Marie Horn at the Neuenfelde shipyard in Germany on December 15, 1958, this vessel was a “reefer”—a refrigerated cargo ship. The Marie Horn measured 231.6 feet in length, 33.5 feet in width, and displaced 1,138 gross tons. In 1969, it changed hands, being sold to Trans Caribbean Lines of Miami, registered in Liberia, and renamed the Deep Freeze. However, fate dealt a dramatic blow to the Deep Freeze. On January 9, 1972, an explosion rocked the ship while it was moored at Puerto Limon, Costa Rica. The ensuing fire left the freighter gutted. Eventually, the vessel was towed to Miami, where its superstructure was removed. On October 1, 1976, the Deep Freeze found a new purpose—it was scuttled intentionally to create an artificial reef. The Deep Freeze rests in 135 feet of water, with the top of its hull rising to within 110 feet of the surface. Despite its tumultuous past, the wreck remains relatively intact. However, Hurricane Andrew in 1992 twisted the freighter’s stern away from the rest of the hull. Close to the Deep Freeze lie other wrecks, including the St. Henry’s Express and the Pimelious. Interestingly, the Deep Freeze now rests approximately 12 miles north of the Ultra Freeze, another reefer built by J.J. Sietas at the same shipyard.