The Mercedes


This picture used with permission from Undersea Operations, Inc. dba the Seahorse dive boat.

This German freighter was built in 1952. She is 194 feet long and has a 31 foot beam. On March 30, 1985, she was sunk in 97 feet of water as an artificial reef while 20,000 spectators looked on.

What sets the Mercedes apart from the other wrecks in our area is her stormy history.

On November 23, 1984, a storm ripped the Mercedes from her anchor and blew her up on Mrs. Post's posh beach front property in Palm Beach, Florida. Abandoned by her owners, she was left on Mrs. Post's beach for three months until she was successfully removed by a salvage company.

Then, after her sinking as an artificial reef, Florida's infamous Hurricane Andrew reached to the bottom of the ocean and almost tore her in two.

For a dive into local history and a chance to see first hand the effects of hurricanes on underwater wrecks, dive the Mercedes.

Copyright 1996 - 2002 by American Dive Center, Inc.