SS Benwood Park to form a protection program in 1959 to prevent further damage to the historical wreckage. Today, the "Benwood" is a protected resource under the Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary, which was formed in 1975. Since then, the "Benwood" site has played host to countless recreational dives, as it is an extremely popular night dive site. Since her sinking, the Benwood has become an artificial reef, providing the only high-profile reef in the immediate vicinity. She lies in 55 feet of sea water with hull plates found in the sand around the perimeter. SS Benwood The "Benwood" is a shipwreck
SS Benwood the collision, Captain Skjelbred made last-minute efforts to avoid the "Robert C. Tuttle" by ordering the engine full astern (fastest reverse). Moments later,the bow of the "Benwood" punched into the "Robert C. Tuttle" just aft of the port side bow, above the waterline. This caused the bow of the "Benwood" to collapse upon itself. The Benwood began taking on water at a brisk rate. Captain Skjelbred turned hard for shore, attempting to save the ship by grounding, but some time between 1:10 and 2:00 a.m. was forced to abandon ship. The "Benwood" came to rest stern-to on a sandy slope