SHIP WRECK GUNBOAT C55
C-55 USS (AM283), renamed ARM Lieutenant Juan de la Barrera C-55, was sunk in the year 2000 for diving purposes. Today, it is home to thousands of inhabitants of an ever-developing ecosystem.
Depth
22 meters / 75 feet
Boat Ride
25 minutes
Dive Type
Deep, Drift, Artificial Reef, Wreck
Experience Level
Advanced Open Water, Experienced Diver, Recent Dive Experience
Average Visibility Underwater
20 mt / 65 feet
Average Water Temperature
26 C°/ 79F°
Dive Time
30 - 35 minutes, Safety Stop Required
National Park
Yes
C-55 Juan de la Barrera led an exciting life before it was deliberately sunk on October 27, 2000.
USS Ransom (AM 283) was an Admiral-class minesweeper built for the United States Navy during World War II. The ship earned three battle stars for its service in the Pacific during the war.
On October 21-22, 2005, Hurricane Wilma struck the area as a Category 4 hurricane. The storm broke the shipwreck into pieces, leaving only the aft (stern) section upright and intact on the sandy bottom. This is the only part of the wreck that allows light to penetrate for divers. The stern can be seen resting on its left (port) side.
Pieces of the engine are scattered around the wreck, and the boat's bow, which features small windows along the side, is nearby.
Similar to Gunboat C-58, this shipwreck serves as a destination for the annual migration of Spotted Eagle Rays.Â
Because it is less frequently dived than other wrecks, it provides an excellent opportunity to observe a large number of Spotted Eagle Rays that return each year to frolic, feed, and mate in the strong currents that characterize this dive site.