Review & Frequenly Asked Questions:

Launched in 1934 after participating in World War II combat operations and serving U.S. Navy in the North Atlantic, the USCGC Mohawk WPG-78 found its resting place at the bottom of the Gulf of Mexico in 2012 off the coast of Sanibel Island. Before being sent below the 90 feet of water, the ship had to be cleaned of anything that could be toxic to the marine environment.

Today, it is sitting in an upright position and serves as a home to many species of fish and other marine animals. It is hoped that the corals will slowly inhabit its nooks and crannies and make it into an artificial reef, the first ever created from a 165-foot war ship. The reef is a memorial to U.S. veterans.

Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

J.N. (Ding) Darling National Wildlife Refuge The Bailey-Matthews National Shell Museum Sanibel Historical Museum and Village Bailey Tract Bowman's Beach Sanibel Causeway Clinic for the Rehabilitation of Wildlife (CROW) Big Arts USS Mohawk CGC Veterans Memorial Reef The Botanical Gardens at Sanibel Moorings Tarpon Bay Explorers Blind Pass Beach Sanibel Island Lighthouse Tower Gallery Sissi Janku Art Studio Great Calusa Blueway Sanibel Captiva Conservation Foundation Bleu Rendezvous Il Cielo, Sanibel Island, Florida Doc Ford's Rum Bar & Grille - Sanibel Island The Dunes Golf & Tennis Club Lighthouse Cafe of Sanibel Island Periwinkle Place

Explore more: Florida > Things to Do on Sanibel Island, Florida

Plan Your Trip

Get Ready to Go!

Need some more help?


Go to travel reservations.