Erl King Wreck

The Erl King Wreck is the submerged remains of a 306-foot iron-hulled steamer on Long Reef, one of six sites on Biscayne's Maritime Heritage Trail. It lies in about 18 feet of water. This is a scuba-oriented stop, best suited to divers rather than casual snorkelers; reaching it means a boat trip and a dive.

Look for the outline of the hull and the cargo remains scattered across the reef floor. The Erl King isn't an intact ship to walk through; its story comes through in the hull fragments and the cargo it left behind.

The cargo included dry concrete mix packed in wooden barrels. Shipworms ate the wood, leaving barrel-shaped concrete casts that divers can still see. It's an unusual trace of the ship's working life, sitting right on the reef.

Built in Glasgow in 1865 by A. and J. Inglis, the three-masted ship carried freight and had first-class accommodation for 50 passengers. It first ran aground at Tennessee Reef in 1881, was repaired and returned to service, then grounded on Long Reef in December 1891 while sailing from Swansea to New Orleans. The ship was deemed lost, though some machinery and cargo were salvaged. Its name translates the German Erlkönig, a mischievous elf in German literature.

Access is by boat only. Four moorings are named for the Erl King, with listed depths of 15 to 20 feet and a four-hour limit per boat. Approach the shallow mooring area slowly and check conditions before you go. If you can't make the dive, the park's virtual Maritime Heritage Trail includes 3D scans of the wrecks.