At an average of 25-40 feet of water, Alexander’s Wreck is known as one of the easier wreck dives off the shores of Key West. The wreck was once a US Navy destroyer escort known as the USS Amesbury. Like the Cayman, the out-of-use vessel was planned to be sunk in one particular destination but sunk prematurely en route to that destination. Chet Alexander Marine Salvage, a company in Key West, was planning to tow the boat out to a deep water location for the boat to be used as an artificial reef. On the way there, she grounded and before the boat was able to be put afloat again, a massive storm tore up the vessel’s hull.

Currently, Alexander’s Wreck is broken in two with a gap of 150 feet in between the two pieces, a gap which was widened in the early 60s due to a hurricane. Since it was a navy destroyer escort, some of its deck guns are still visible when you go down to the wreck. There is a chance you will spot other types of military equipment memorialized now in the depths of the Gulf of Mexico.

Common fish in the area include hogfish, angelfish, grouper, porkfish and snapper. Unlike the Cayman Salvager where you will only find one resident jewfish, the area around Alexander’s Wreck is actually home to a few jewfish.