DIVING THE USS SPIEGEL GROVE

The USS Spiegel Grove was a dock landing ship first used in 1955, with a well dock used for launching amphibious vehicles for purposes like beach assaults. She had a length of 510ft and a height of 84ft. After her career, plans were made to sink the ship for the creation of a reef and dive site. During these preparations she sank prematurely in an uncontrolled manner, rolling on her side, settling upside down on the sea floor. Further efforts were made to flip her into the correct orientation, and she was opened as a dive site in June 2002. The top deck sits about 60ft below the surface, with depths of 135ft being achievable while diving the wreck. I had the opportunity to dive the site in 2012, and it was my favorite dive to date. The size of the ship makes exploring it underwater truly awe-inspiring. Below are some stills from a video I created of the adventure.