The Eagle is considered Islamorada’s crown jewel. The 87-meter-/287-foot-long freighter was built in 1962 at Gorinchem, Netherlands, and after being sold and resold numerous times, it caught fire in 1985 while sailing from Miami to Venezuela. Damaged beyond repair, it was sunk as an artificial reef in the same year. The wreck now rests near Lower Matecumbe Key, Florida.
Lying about 33 meters/110 feet beneath the surface of the water, it is suitable for advanced divers. Hurricane Georges split her hull in two and there are plenty of openings that allow for easy penetration for those certified in wreck diving.