DEMA TRADER
The DEMA Trader (formerly known as the GGD Trader) is a 165-foot-long freighter in 80 feet of water about 3 1/2 miles off Key Biscayne.
The ship was seized by U.S. Customs for carrying drugs, and was renamed DEMA Trader after the Dive Equipment and Marketing Association annual convention held in Miami Beach on October of 2003. She was sunk October 28, 2003.
The ship is keel down in the sand with the stern lying in 80 feet of water and the bow in 75 feet of water. Large openings were cut in the sides of the superstructure to allow safe penetration dives into the former galley and cabin areas. Tons of concrete culvert pipes and junction boxes were loaded into the ship’s cargo hold, creating ballast in case of storms, and providing more habitat than just an open cargo hold.
The ship has a large profile making it easy to find with a decent fish finder. Most of the dive can be seen at 60 feet of water. Great dive!