Tracy / Ken Vitale

The Tracy, also known as the Ken Vitale, is an advanced artificial reef wreck in the South Broward County diving zone — a vessel deliberately sunk to create habitat in the warm Atlantic waters off Fort Lauderdale and Hollywood at approximately 21 meters (about 70 feet), where it has developed into a productive reef structure supporting a rich community of South Florida marine species. South Broward's offshore waters host an impressive collection of deliberately sunk artificial reef structures within a compact geographic area, and the Tracy/Ken Vitale is one of several vessels that collectively form a reef complex visited by boats from Fort Lauderdale, Hollywood, and Deerfield Beach operators on regular two-tank outings. The wreck rests in good condition with the hull providing the structural complexity that concentrates marine life: holds, superstructure openings, and hull crevices have all been colonized by encrusting organisms and occupied by resident fish species. Goliath grouper are a signature encounter at this and the adjacent wrecks in the South Broward zone — the enormous fish have established firm territorial claims on the deeper structural features and approach divers with the casual familiarity of animals that have never been threatened in these protected waters. Nurse sharks rest beneath hull sections, and large schools of grunt and snapper pack the interior spaces and hover in dense formations above the deck. Moray eels are abundantly present throughout the structure. Loggerhead sea turtles pass through this section of the offshore reef regularly, occasionally lingering around the wreck. The depth of 21 meters provides comfortable bottom times for advanced divers while still requiring proper planning. Visibility in South Florida's Atlantic waters typically ranges from 20 to 50 feet, with the clearest conditions occurring when the Gulf Stream presses close to shore during winter months.