Union Express

Back in 1959, this vessel was born as the Scheldeborg, crafted by Scheepswerf Friesland N.V. in Lemmer, Netherlands. Picture a coaster measuring 159.2 feet in length, 26.1 feet in width, and bearing a burden of 394 tons. In 1969, a Dutch buyer named S. de Long acquired her, bestowing upon her the name “Adine” (sometimes spelled as “Adina”). Later, she changed hands again, this time to a Panamanian company in 1982, sailing under the banner of “El Masare.” By 1988, the coaster had transformed into the Union Express, serving Honduran owners. However, her tenure with the new owners was short-lived. In 1990, the US Coast Guard intercepted the Union Express near Miami, uncovering hidden drugs onboard. The freighter faced impoundment, and her fate took an unexpected turn. Designated the Mariner Outboards Reef (or simply the Mariner I), she found her final resting place on April 25, 1992. Now submerged in 110 feet of water, the Union Express lies on her side. But there’s more: Hurricane Andrew swept through South Florida, splitting the freighter into two sections. The bow rests on her portside, nestled into the sandy bottom, while the stern—larger and more intriguing—leans hard over on her starboard side. And if you venture approximately 400 feet offshore and slightly north, you’ll encounter the Mariner II Barge, another piece of this underwater puzzle.