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IntermediateBoat entry

San Pablo (W) Ship

Florida, United States
Open Water suggested26 m (84 ft) depthBoat entry3mm wetsuit typical

Boat dive — see Entry & access.

San Pablo (W) Ship at a glance

San Pablo (W) Ship is an intermediate boat dive site in Florida, United States with depths of up to 25.6 m (84 ft). Typically most favorable Jul · from 3 years of archive data. Divers commonly see Octopus, Red lionfish, and Great barracuda. Recent reports put the water around 26°C (78°F). Check the latest conditions and entry details before you go.

No window today· next: tomorrow 7:00–19:00 · favorable

Forecast for this hour · 22:00 · run 21 h ago
1.0 m (3.1 ft)waves — about a meter expected (waves — about three feet expected)

Tap a factor for its source and model point · Forecast 26°C · seasonal avg 27°C ( · Forecast 78°F · seasonal avg 81°F)

Site hazards: Depth ~80-84 ft; widely scattered, jagged steel debris field; monofilament and fishing tackle; occasional current; boat traffic.

Read the full hazards ↓

Dive windows this week

Lightest wind: Tue
SunNo window

1.1 m waves · 17 kn wind (3.5 ft waves · 17 kn wind)

Mon7:00–19:00 favorable

1.0 m waves · 13 kn wind (3.3 ft waves · 13 kn wind)

Tue7:00–19:00 favorable

0.9 m waves · 10 kn wind (2.8 ft waves · 10 kn wind)

Wed8:00–19:00 favorable

0.9 m waves · 14 kn wind (3.0 ft waves · 14 kn wind)

Thu8:00–19:00 favorable

0.9 m waves · 17 kn wind (2.8 ft waves · 17 kn wind)

Fri8:00–19:00 favorable

1.0 m waves · 14 kn wind (3.2 ft waves · 14 kn wind)

Sat8:00–19:00 favorable

1.3 m waves · 13 kn wind (4.2 ft waves · 13 kn wind)

Favorable windowModerate window— no window

Every forecast dive window each day, site-local time, from wave and wind forecasts. Numbers under each bar are daylight averages.

First light 6:33 · Sunrise 6:57 · Sunset 18:07 · some windows run past sunset

Source: Open-Meteo marine · model point 2.4 km from site · updated 25 Oct, 00:22 GMT-5

Forecast only — always assess conditions on site.

Compare this weekend’s windows near San Pablo (W) Ship

Forecast · NOAA tide model

Tide & slack timing

Loading tide predictions

Recent diver reports

Dated firsthand observations from divers — not current conditions.

No diver reports for this site yet. — one dated observation helps every diver after you.

Dived here today — did the forecast match?

What Divers Say

Known for: Red lionfish, Sand perch, Atlantic spadefish
Best time: May through October; summer visibility frequently 40-60+ ft.

Based on community reviews and site data. Conditions vary — always verify before diving.

Best months, historically

What conditions have historically been typical at this site, month by month — not a forecast.

  1. January, 45% of days have historically been favorable, water has typically been 20°C (68°F), waves have typically been 1.5 m (4.9 ft), wind has typically been 20 knots
  2. February, 54% of days have historically been favorable, water has typically been 19°C (65°F), waves have typically been 1.2 m (3.8 ft), wind has typically been 17 knots
  3. March, 65% of days have historically been favorable, water has typically been 20°C (68°F), waves have typically been 1.2 m (4.1 ft), wind has typically been 18 knots
  4. April, 64% of days have historically been favorable, water has typically been 22°C (71°F), waves have typically been 1.2 m (3.9 ft), wind has typically been 17 knots
  5. May, 90% of days have historically been favorable, water has typically been 25°C (78°F), waves have typically been 0.9 m (2.8 ft), wind has typically been 14 knots
  6. June, 78% of days have historically been favorable, water has typically been 28°C (83°F), waves have typically been 0.9 m (3.1 ft), wind has typically been 14 knots
  7. July, 97% of days have historically been favorable, water has typically been 30°C (87°F), waves have typically been 0.7 m (2.2 ft), wind has typically been 13 knots, historically most favorable
  8. August, 92% of days have historically been favorable, water has typically been 31°C (88°F), waves have typically been 0.7 m (2.3 ft), wind has typically been 13 knots
  9. September, 84% of days have historically been favorable, water has typically been 30°C (85°F), waves have typically been 0.8 m (2.8 ft), wind has typically been 14 knots
  10. October, 59% of days have historically been favorable, water has typically been 27°C (81°F), waves have typically been 1.1 m (3.7 ft), wind has typically been 17 knots
  11. November, 59% of days have historically been favorable, water has typically been 24°C (75°F), waves have typically been 1.2 m (3.8 ft), wind has typically been 17 knots
  12. December, 57% of days have historically been favorable, water has typically been 22°C (72°F), waves have typically been 1.2 m (4.1 ft), wind has typically been 18 knots

July has typically had the largest share of favorable days here. Conditions vary year to year — this is historical context, not a forecast.

Based on 3 years of archive data. Bar height shows the share of days each month whose conditions have historically scored favorably.

Marine life seen at this site

Species noted at this site — not a promise of what you’ll encounter.

Species seen here

Rough labels: “Commonly seen” usually means two or more recorded sightings near this site in public dive logs (GBIF), “Occasionally seen” one; “Seasonal” and “Rarely seen” come from dive-guide research. Not a measured rate.

Fills & rentals nearby

Facts from OpenStreetMap, corrected by the community — listed by distance only. Details change; confirm with the shop.

Shop facts come from OpenStreetMap and community corrections, shown nearest first. PickADive lists facts and contacts only — no listing is sponsored or ranked.

Data updated June 2026

Site details

The San Pablo, known locally as the 'Russian Freighter,' was a 315-foot fruit hauler torpedoed by a U-boat off Costa Rica in 1942, refloated, and then deliberately destroyed off Pensacola in 1944 during a secret U.S. weapons test using a radio-controlled boat packed with 3,000 pounds of explosives. The blast scattered her across the seafloor in about 84 feet of water, leaving boilers, refrigeration coils and large sections of twisted hull to explore. It is site #2 on the Florida Panhandle Shipwreck Trail and one of Pensacola's most popular intermediate wreck dives.

boatreefwreck

Depth ~80-84 ft; widely scattered, jagged steel debris field; monofilament and fishing tackle; occasional current; boat traffic.

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