The Half Moon shipwreck, located off the coast of Key Biscayne in Miami-Dade County, Florida, is historically significant as the remains of a German-built, steel-hulled racing yacht originally christened the Germania. Commissioned in 1908 by Bertha Krupp of the prominent German industrial family as a wedding gift for her husband, Gustav Krupp, the schooner was a masterpiece of early 20th-century marine engineering and one of the fastest racing yachts of its day. The vessel competed in prestigious European regattas, including the Kaiser's Cup at Cowes, before being seized by Great Britain as a prize of war at the outbreak of World War I in 1914, representing a unique maritime casualty of the geopolitical tensions of the era.

Following the war, the yacht was purchased by an American owner, renamed the Half Moon, and brought to the United States, where it eventually made its way to Florida. During the Prohibition era, the vessel was converted into a floating cabaret and restaurant moored off Miami, serving as a popular nightlife destination that reflected the region's maritime evasion of temperance laws. In 1930, the ship dragged its anchors during a violent storm and ran aground on a shallow reef near Bear Cut, where it subsequently sank. Today, the Half Moon is recognized as Florida's seventh Underwater Archaeological Preserve, serving as a vital archaeological site and a thriving artificial reef that captures the transition of Gilded Age luxury into the colorful history of early Miami tourism.