Popular Dive Sites
DuPont Bridge Span # 1 was sunk October 30, 2008 next to a pile of pipe and the fish are already migrating to the bridge span and it should make a nice fishing reef. coordinates are: 29'58.902°N 85'51.128°W
USS Strength A U.S. Navy minesweeper, the Strength is 184 feet long and has a 33-foot beam. She was decommissioned and used as a Navy dive salvage training site. She is located 5.75 miles from the St. Andrews Pass in approximately 75 feet of water. The bow is broken and laid over on the port side. The back three-fourths is intact and sits on its keel. The highest point of the superstructure is at 55 feet.
Jeff-A Hovercraft A prototype Amphibious Assault Landing Craft (AALC) the Jeff-A was designed for the Navy in 1979. The Jeff-A Hovercraft was sunk as part of the Florida Artificial Reef Program in 1995. The Jeff-A now rests at about 75 feet on a sand and rubble bottom with the top of the wreck reaching approximately 65 feet.
Accokeek Originally built as an auxiliary ocean tugboat and commissioned in the U.S. Navy as the USS ATA-181 in 1944, this vessel played a role in the assault and occupation of Okinawa in the spring and summer of 1945. Following WWII, she served with the Atlantic Fleet. She was decommissioned in 1972 and was eventually transferred to the Naval Diving and Salvage Training Unit in Panama City. The Accokeek was last sunk in July 2000 as an artificial reef.
BJ Putnam Originally an oilfield supply boat that was converted into a fish processor, this 180-foot vessel was renamed BJ Putnam in honor of a local charter captain, businessman and community leader of the same name. She was deployed as an artificial reef in November 1993 and sits at a depth of 106 feet.
Black Bart A 185-foot oilfield supply ship which sits upright in approximately 75 feet of water. Her main deck sits at a depth of 70 feet, while her bow reaches up to 61 feet. Her wheelhouse is no longer enclosed, thanks to Hurricane Michael in 2018. The Black Bart is a popular site for wreck training and underwater imaging. Be sure to bring a dive light!
There is an abundance of fish in and around the ship. Turtles have been spotted at times, along with catfish, flounder and grouper. The bottom is a bit silty; visibility is generally 20-25 feet at the main deck. Be sure to bring a dive light. One Halloween, a prankster chained a skeleton, complete with mask and snorkel, to the wheelhouse. No word on whether the skeleton is still there. Loran C coordinates: 14030.1, 46972.
Near Shore 4 Hour Dive Sites |
Top (feet) |
Bottom (feet) |
Black Bart |
50 |
75 |
Strength |
63 |
75 |
Chickasaw |
63 |
70 |
Twin Barges |
70 |
80 |
Loss Pontoon |
45 |
65 |
Stage II |
45 |
55 |
Blow UP Barge |
60 |
65 |
Bridge Span #14 |
45 |
72 |
Bridge Span #1 |
45 |
70 |
Bridge Span #5 |
45 |
75 |
Warsaw Hole |
78 |
82 |
B&B Barge |
40 |
45 |
Murphy's Barge |
45 |
50 |
Atlantis |
35 |
45 |
Navy Trash Pile |
45 |
50 |
J&B Reef |
35 |
40 |
Wet & Wild Spot |
40 |
50 |
Navy Barge |
50 |
55 |
Bridge Span #12 |
45 |
72 |
PCMI Barge |
60 |
65 |
Long Beach Barge |
45 |
53 |
Jeff A Hover Craft |
70 |
75 |
Dan Barge |
50 |
60 |
Off Shore 6 Hour Dive Sites |
Top (feet) |
Bottom (feet) |
Chippwea |
55 |
92 |
Tarpon |
90 |
100 |
Stage I |
60 |
105 |
BJ. Putman |
70 |
105 |
Commander |
75 |
90 |
Accokeek |
60 |
90 |
Century Barge |
92 |
100 |
Twin Tugs |
70 |
100 |
Mac's Reef |
72 |
97 |
Extended Off Shore 8 Hour Dive Sites |
Top (feet) |
Bottom (feet) |
Grey Ghost |
85 |
105 |
Various limestone reefs depths ranging from 80' to 100' off Philips Inlet.