Eagle wreck. Her original name was Raila Dan and
then later Carmela, Barok, and Arron K as she was sold
to various companies before being renamed Eagle in
honor of the Eagle Tire Company who helped offset the
cost of her sinking on December 12, 1985.
This 269' freighter was built in Holland in 1962 (she's
my age) and had an uneventful life until a fire broke
out in the cargo hold on October 6, 1985 while
transporting scrap paper from Miami to Venezuela.
She was deemed unfit for transport and unrepairable.
The Raila Dan was built to with classic lines (a high bow,
low freeboard mid-ships, and the wheelhouse on the
stern. She was also built to the Swedish/Finnish
Ice Standard 1AS (extreme) and capable of moving
through ice 80 centimeters thick (30 inches thick).
She landed intact but on her starboard rail most
likely because her fuel tanks were empty. However,
in September 1998, Hurricane Georges rolled across
the lower Keys, which put the Upper Keys (and the Eagle)
on the "bad side" of the storm.
She's now split in two pieces with a 15-20' gap just forward
of the wheelhouse in 117'. Click here for more history on
this ship or the Eagle's Wikipedia page..
The Divers City shop always runs a great trip for us.
The baitfish display is usually quite impressive
with big jacks balling bait and crashing through
for snacks.
Photos used with permission of Bart Koop.
Below: the Eagle under her original name, the Raila Dan. (photo: Bjarne Johansen)
I've amassed over the years.
Strangely, the Eaglerarely has much
current. Conversely, the viz rarely gets
better than about 50'.
All-in-all, she's a great dive with fun for
both recreational and technical divers.
