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A little History on the Benwood
The Benwood met her fate when she collided with a tanker, the Robert C. Tuttle (544'x70'), in the wee hours of the morning of April 9, 1942. The Benwood and Tuttle were both running "lights-out" to avoid being torpedoed by German U-boats. The two ships spotted each other at the last minute... albeit too late to avoid a collision.
The bow of the Benwood punched into the Tuttle's port side, above the waterline, just aft of the bow, and collapsed upon itself on impact. The Benwood began taking on water at an alarming rate. Her captain made for shore, but within the hour, was forced to abandon ship. The Benwood came to rest stern-to on a 25'-45' slope of hard bottom between Dixie Shoals (to the north) and French Reef (to the south).
Her superstructure and cargo appear to have been salvaged, while her stern section, once considered a navigational hazard, seems to have been mostly obliterated by aerial artillery and/or dynamite. Since her sinking, the Benwood has become an impressive artificial reef, providing the only high profile relief in the immediate vicinity.
All types of aquatic life have taken up residence here. Schools of barracuda and other predators now patrol the wreck, while hordes of smaller fishes seek refuge amidst the debris. Hard and soft corals have almost completely encrusted the hull and deck.
At night, the Benwood comes alive with feeding invertebrates and amazing bioluminescence. Parrot fishes "bed-down" for the night here, while other creatures come out to feed. The Benwood is considered to be one of the best shallow wreck dives in Key Largo.
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