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Lugano

Lugano

The Lugano was a 350-foot single screw, iron-hulled British steamer with a 40-foot beam. Built in 1882 by the Barrow Shipbuilding Company, she originally sailed under the name Navarro. In 1897, the Navarro underwent a major overhaul and was renamed Lugano.

On the afternoon of March 9, 1913, the Lugano ran hard aground on Long Reef while on a routine voyage from Liverpool to Havana. She was ferrying 116 passengers, most of whom were emigrating from Spain to Cuba, and her cargos where filled with wine, silks, and assorted goods. As high winds and heavy seas pounded the grounded ship, a tug was dispatched to the site and all passengers were safely transported from the ship. Wreckers managed to recover most of the cargo over the next several weeks. However, the Lugano herself could not be saved. The damage to the hull caused by the reef, and the heavy seas eventually flooded her holds. She was abandoned early in April, nearly one month after sealing her fate on Long Reef.

Today, the superstructure is essentially gone, but large portions of her skeletal hull and ribs remain. The remains are encrusted in beautiful and colorful corals and sponges. The site provides a habitat for large numbers of tropicals, small grouper, and schools of yellowtail. Spotted eels, morays, and lobster can be found under the collapsed hull plates.

There are three mooring buoys nearby. Boaters are advised to use caution as the shallow waters near the reef often create strong surge conditions.

The Lugano is one of five historic wrecks designated as part of the Biscayne National Park "Shipwreck Trail". The shallow waters and surrounding coral reef make this a fantastic snorkeling location.

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