The ship that wouldn't sink - Boat US Reports

Boat/US Magazine, Sept, 2002

A retired Navy surface vessel set to embark on a new career underwater as an artificial reef had other plans on May 17. instead of sinking quietly in 130 feet of water off Key Largo, FL., in a carefully planned scuttling, the 510-ft. Spiegel Grove sank by the stern first, then capsized, with its bow sticking high out of the water.

A salvage crew used 70 inflatable lift bags and two tugboats to try to roll the vessel and sink it in an upright position. But after three weeks of effort assisted by teams of volunteers like Capt. Mark Hutchings of TowBoatU.S. Key Largo, the ship only righted partially and finally settled on its side.

Hutchings, an avid scuba diver, donated countless hours to the project and used his towboats to transport equipment and personnel to the site. Despite the problems, the Keys' newest artificial reef opened to divers June 24 and Hutchings reports that the Spiegel Grove attracted over 1,000 divers in its first week.