Bibb
Built for the U.S. Coast Guard in 1936, the Bibb is a 327ft cutter with a 41ft beam. One of the Secretary class, this ship was named for former U.S. Secretary of the Treasury George M. Bibb. She was powered by twin Westinghouse steam turbines and had the range to go anywhere in the world.
During the first part of WWII the Bibb escorted convoys in the North Atlantic, Caribbean and Mediterranean. In 1943 the Bibb’s crew saved 202 people when the troopship SS Henry Mallory was torpedoed by the German submarine U-402. That same night the Bibb also rescued 33 sailors from the torpedoed freighter SS Kalliopi.
When the European theater began to draw to a close, she was reassigned to the Pacific, taking part in the battle for Okinawa in 1945. The Bibb also served in Vietnam in 1968 and ’69.
A group of local businesses and dive shops formed the Key Largo Artificial Reef Association and worked with the National Marine Sanctuary to sink the Bibb south of Molasses Reef in 1987. The ship initially went down without a problem, but she listed during the sinking and landed on her starboard side in 130ft. Corals and sponges thickly encrust the masts, superstructure and propeller. Since the superstructure lies parallel to the bottom in relatively deep water, the predators and reef fish on the Bibb are not as visible as they might have been had the ship settled upright. Expect to meet a few patrolling barracuda on the way down the buoy line, though. They are merely the advance guard for a dense population of resident fish and invertebrates.
Penetration of the wreck can be very hazardous due to the depth and sideways orientation of the vessel and should only be made by divers with the proper training, equipment and experience. The shallowest point of the wreck is the port deck rail, about 95ft deep. The sand bottom is about 130ft deep. Visibility is normally 40 to 100ft. Currents can be very strong and vary quickly. Be prepared to show evidence of recent deep dives or advanced certification prior to diving the Bibb with a local dive shop.
Reproduced with permission from Diving & Snorkeling Florida Keys 2001 Lonely Plant Publications www.lonelyplanet.com