Ship Wreck - Schurz
The Schurz is one of those wrecks you can visit hundreds of times and still see something new! The wreck is sprawled along the ocean bottom, and points of interest on your dive may include the boilers, bow, and stern deck guns, anchor, and rudder. Divers often locate ammunition and bullets from the wreck with a sharp eye.
The Schurz was originally a 255-foot German gunship named the SMS Geier was built in 1894. In 1914, the United States seized the ship and took control, renaming it what we recognize today as the USS Schurz. When WWI broke out, this ship was one of Germany's target ships for destruction because they didn't want their ship to be a factor in their defeat; however, all destruction attempts failed. It wasn't until June 21, 1918, that the Schurz found its position in 110 feet of water when it collided with the SS Florida. A heavy concentration of aquatic life can be found here and typically includes: large schools of bait fish, sand tiger sharks, grouper, and amberjack. This site is visited on our Full Day Dive Trip.
- Name: Schurz (SMS Geier)
- Date Sank: June 21, 1918
- Type: US/German Gunboat
- Depth: 100 feet
- Length: 255 feet
- Penetration: No
- Skill Level: Intermediate
- Sharks: Yes, Sand Tigers
