Windjammer Wreck

Windjammer Wreck is the remains of a three-masted iron sailing ship, lying on Loggerhead Reef about 1,100 yards southwest of Loggerhead Key. The ship was the Avanti, built in 1875 and first named Killean. NPS pages describe depths of roughly 20 to 22 feet, with one small piece reaching the surface. It's a worthwhile dedicated snorkel or dive if you want to see a real shipwreck beneath the reef fish.

This is a boat or kayak visit, not a walk-up snorkel from Garden Key. Pick up the laminated underwater map at the park visitor center before you go in; it helps you make sense of the separated bow and stern. Visibility is usually best on a flood tide, so that is the better time to explore if your trip can line up with it.

The ship has broken into two main fields rather than resting as one intact hull. The bow section runs east to west for about 110 feet. The midships and stern form another roughly 110-foot field that runs north to south. The full ship was about 261 feet long, so these sections still give you a sense of its scale. The bow and stern stand highest off the bottom and draw the most marine life. For an underwater photo, use the wreck's outline against the open water and look for fish around those raised sections.

The Avanti was originally called Killean and built in Britain in 1875. It carried lumber from Pensacola toward Montevideo when it was lost on Loggerhead Reef. The exact story of the sinking is unknown; a storm is only a theory. An archaeological survey found the wreck in 1971, and it was identified as the Avanti in 1990. Its iron hull is a reminder of the large sailing ships that kept carrying cargo as steam power was taking over.

The ship's structure is fragile, and wrecks and artifacts are protected. Look without touching or taking anything. When snorkeling outside designated areas, display an approved dive flag, and don't snorkel alone.