Virgo

The Adolphus Busch is one of the premier artificial reef dive sites in the Florida Keys, with a fascinating history that spans multiple continents and names. The vessel began its life in 1950 as the cargo ship MV London, built in Fife, Scotland. For nearly five decades, she sailed the world's oceans under various flags and names, including London, Gale, Topsail Star, and finally, Ocean Alley. Her long career came to an abrupt end in 1998 when she was wrecked during a storm in Port-au-Prince, Haiti.

Rather than being scrapped, the ship was given a new purpose. She was purchased by August Adolphus Busch IV of the Anheuser-Busch beer dynasty and renamed in honor of his great-grandfather. In a massive undertaking, the ship was thoroughly cleaned and stripped of all potential hazards to the marine environment. On December 5, 1998, she was carefully and intentionally sunk in the clear waters off Looe Key, beginning her second life as an underwater ecosystem.

Sitting perfectly upright on the sand, the 240-foot Adolphus Busch is a spectacular dive. Her large cargo holds are open for exploration, and the intact superstructure, bridge, and engine room provide an exciting playground for certified wreck divers. In the years since her sinking, she has been colonized by a vast array of marine life, including massive goliath groupers, moray eels, and swirling schools of fish, making her a must-do dive for anyone visiting the Florida Keys.