Miss Dania Beach

Originally known as HMCS Porte St. Jean, this Royal Canadian Navy vessel played a crucial role—opening and closing anti-submarine nets at strategic harbors. Constructed in 1951 with a trawler design, it spent many active years around Halifax, Nova Scotia. In 1996, after its retirement, HMCS Porte St. Jean found itself at the Derecktor Shipyard in Fort Lauderdale. The shipyard’s owner, Robert Derecktor, had ambitious plans to transform it into a luxurious yacht. However, fate intervened. Following Robert’s passing in 2001, a momentous decision was made: the ship would be sunk off Hollywood Beach to create an artificial reef and a thrilling dive attraction. Officially named the Bob Derecktor Memorial Reef, locals affectionately refer to it as the Miss Dania Beach. This 126-foot-long, 210-ton former Canadian Navy anti-submarine patrol vessel met its watery fate on May 29, 2004, during Dania Beach’s centennial celebration. The reef, however, carries deeper meaning—it stands as a tribute to Robert E. Derecktor, the well-known local shipbuilder whose company, Derecktor Shipyards, generously donated the vessel. Now, resting 70 feet below the surface, the Miss Dania Beach shares its underwater neighborhood with other sunken companions: the 55-foot-long former LCM Emmi Boggs, the 40-foot-long former yacht Summerfield, and the sturdy tugboat Donal G. McAllister. Together, they form a silent aquatic legacy, inviting divers to explore their hidden stories.