City of Washington

Located on Elbow Reef, the City of Washington is a shallow water dive site great for night divers as well as novice divers and snorkelers. The hull and keel are still identifiable and a debris field of about 325 feet attracts marine life of all types. Many Barracuda, Morays and Nurse Sharks have little fear of divers because they have been hand-fed for years. Look among the coral stands in the washed out area under the wreck. This ship was originally built in 1877 as a schooner and was turned into a steamship. In 1898 the City of Washington was at rest in Havana Harbor when the USS Maine blew up. She was used as a rescue and hospital vessel for the Maine’s crew. After being used as a troop transport for Cuba during the Spanish-American War, City of Washington hit Elbow Reef and sank. The body of the vessel is barely visible, but the keel and hull can still be identified.

Notes: Marine Preserve, Mooring Buoys, Wreck, Good Snorkeling