Donal G. McAllister Wreck • Sunday, March 9, 2025
The McAllister is a 101-foot-long tugboat wreck lying in 70 feet of water. It went down in 1998 as part of the Broward County Artificial Reef Program. The wreck teems with coral and fish and there are other wrecks nearby.
At a glance
| What you need to know | |
|---|---|
| Dive 1 | Wreck |
| Dive 2 | Reef |
| Max depth in feet | 80 |
| Minimum cert level | Open Water |
| Departs from | Fort Lauderdale |
| Minutes from shop | 20 |
| Be at the boat no later than | 7:45 AM |
| Boat departs | 8:30 AM |
| Expected return | 12:00 PM |
| Price without gear rental | $109.95 |
| Price with tanks and weights | $119.95 |
| Price with full gear | $149.95 |
| Add Nitrox | $10.00 per tank |
The wreck
Originally the Coral Sea, the McAllister was launched in 1946 at Gulfport Boiler and Welding Works in Port Arthur, Texas. Its original owner, Cities Service Oil (now Citgo) sold it almost immediately to Interstate Oil in New York. It would remain in the New York area for the next several decades.
In 1951, the tug was sold to Russel Towing and renamed Russel 17. In 1960, it was sold to Dalzall Towing and renamed Dalzall Atlas. A final sale took place in 1965 when Dalzall was bought by McAllister Towing. This is when the tug acquired its final name.
The tug was taken out of service in 1968. Not much is known after this until the tug’s sinking on June 23, 1998, as part of the Broward County Artificial Reef Program.
Watch the video
The diving
The wreck lies in 70 feet of water off Hollywood. It is 101 feet long and rises at least 25 feet off the bottom. These depths require Advanced or Deep Diver training. Thanks to the tug’s preparation as an artificial reef, divers can safely explore the engine room, wheelhouse and galley. As you would expect, the wreck is home to a variety of corals and fish.
A little over 200 feet from the McAllister lie the wrecks of the Captain Dede and Emma Boggs. You cannot see these wrecks from one another and moving between them requires running a compass course. Doing so is not advisable unless you have good air consumption and there are no strong currents present.
Balance is due in full when you sign up. There are no refunds unless we find someone to take your place.
- DAN insurance
- Crew gratuity
- Certification cards
- Dive insurance
- Signed travel waiver and Statement of Understanding
- Personal dive gear
- Audible and visual surface signals
…and don’t forget:
- One towel each for showers and diving
- Dive light
- Safety sausage
- Emergency mirror
- Whistle
- Sunscreen
- Hat
- Sunglasses
Learn more or reserve space
Use this form to send us a question about this specific trip. You can also use this form to let us know you are interested in joining us and how many people will be in your group — just be aware that reservations are not considered firm until we receive paymentt.