TAMPA DIVE
12/18/2007 9:34:57 AM by Bill Lindsey
REEF HOP: Tampa’s vast array of wrecks and artifical reefs are considered among the best in Florida.
If you thought that all of Tampa’s offerings were available just off its white-sand shores toward the bustling skyline, think again. It’s the area’s underwater attractions that have water enthusiasts returning to this tourist’s paradise year-round.
Photos courtesy of Visit Florida
Encased in the warmth of the surrounding water the diver descends, feeling virtually weightless, fins pumping leisurely toward the murky bottom. Then the silt clears to expose the breathtaking sight of the marine life-encrusted U.S.C.G. Irish-class tender Blackthorn lying mostly upside-down in 80 feet of water. This is diving Tampa — a combination of friendly southern pleasures and awe-inspiring underwater sights.
Tampa claims one of the most comprehensive, innovative artificial reef systems in a state known for inventive artificial reefs. Not to mention that this Gulf Coast system is in nearly unparalleled condition. Created in the early 1960s, its purpose was to enhance the local marine ecosystem by encouraging the healthy expansion of local fish populations as well as providing entertainment for recreational divers and fishermen with these man-made structures. Spearfishing is a popular sport on this waterspouts-loving coast, as is lobster hunting.
The aforementioned Blackthorn is one of the most popular underwater dive spots in Tampa. Launched in 1944 as a buoy tender, the ship saw duty as an icebreaker in the Great Lakes and did salvage tours and rescues of sinking and sunken ships. The ship was just leaving the Port of Tampa for duty in Galveston, Texas, when it ran into the Capricorn, a giant 605-foot freighter, capsized and sank in 40 feet of water due west of the famous Sunshine Skyway Bridge.
The ship was subsequently raised shortly after sinking to see if a repair was viable. After the vessel was deemed too damaged to fix, it was hauled 20 miles offshore to the Pinellas #2 Artificial Reef Site. The ship reaches a top height of 20 feet off the bottom, giving plenty to explore without actually going inside (which is not advised). An added value to diving the historic Blackthorn are fish including mackerel, snapper, goliath grouper, and the rare whale shark that call the articfical reef home.
FISH WORLD: Whether on land or at sea, the expansive array of fish in and around Tampa include goliath grouper, stringrays and everything in between.
Also on the Pinellas #2 Artificial Reef is the Sheridan, another top scuba spot. This 80-foot tugboat sank upright and intact, with just a slight list to starboard. Wrecks don’t get much better than this. What makes this site especially approachable is that while the bottom is in 75 feet of water, its pinnacle can be explored in at a mere 30 feet of Gulf waters. The selection of marine life on the Sheridan is similar to that of the Blackthorn with goliath grouper, mackerel, snapper and several types of jacks. There are several open spots on the ship for experienced divers to explore carefully inside.
The 1903 tugboat Orange now makes its watery home on the South County Artificial Reef, located 11 miles off the Pass-A-Grille entry marker. The 80-foot steel-hull workboat started out life moving railroad barges in New York. It then moved south to see duty maneuvering large ships in Tampa Bay. In 2003, the ship was donated by Tampa Bay Towing to the reef program and subsequently sunk that April. The site is easy to find by private boat, as there is a convenient mooring buoy that rises from the vessel’s southern-facing bow. In addition to the expected mackerel, giant grouper and jacks, Orange plays host to nurse sharks and barracuda.
The remainder of the quarter-mile South County Artificial Reef is formed of bridge pilings, light poles and other concrete rubble for a total of 700 tons of concrete at an average depth of 45 feet. The apex of the creation is a monolithic 17 feet high and 25 feet wide. Built between 2001 and 2003, the South County Artificial Reef offers superb underwater visibility, making it a popular choice of underwater photographers after great shots of amiable tropical fish.
At the other end of the spectrum, the wreck Gunsmoke has a less-than-stellar history. An old shrimp boat turned drug-runner, its tale is one of rumored crime, murdered witnesses and a convicted felon who died on Death Row. The notorious boat now lies at 80 feet, 20 miles off the coastline. The middle of the ship has since collapsed and it lists slightly to starboard. As if the boat still isn’t ready to go “gently into the good night,” the shrimp nets still run across the rigging, creating a hazard to unwary divers.
BIG SIGHTS: The historic Blackthorn artificial reef is home to mackerel, snapper, grouper and whale sharks.
The St. Petersburg Beach Reef is located five miles off the Pass-A-Grille entry Marker #2. Equally popular with divers and fisherman, the reef was first formed in 30 feet of water with the installation of concrete pieces of the Old Corey Causeway and Skyway Bridge in 1976. A 200-foot steel barge was added in 1984, followed by 10 retired army tanks — yes, army tanks, that is not a typo — sunk in 1995. The location of the latter is conveniently indicated by a yellow buoy.
The artificial reefs around Tampa continue in nearby Clearwater, which boasts the Indian Shores Reef, found 11 miles off Clearwater Pass entry marker #1. Dating back to 1962, the reef started out as 125 pillboxes. In 1976, the U.S. Navy Explosive Ordinance Disposal Team from Jacksonville arrived with two World War II Landing Ships with explosives to create the beginnings of the reef. Eight years later, a 40-foot barge was added to the underwater landscape. It flipped during its planned sinking and is now referred to as, not surprisingly, the Upside-Down Barge. All the ships are over 200 feet, making for a truly unique display.
As one would expect, dive shops and dive clubs abound in Tampa and its environs. Whether you’re looking for complete scuba gear rental or just a tank refill, there are plenty of places to choose from. Dive boats are equally ubiquitous, catering to tourists and locals alike who wish to explore the wrecks and reefs. For an area not given to many natural structures worth diving, man has done a fine, environmentally conscious job of providing the necessary exotic structures for fish and divers alike. It’s an area definitely worth exploring, whether from your own boat, a rental or a professional dive charter. Just remember to have your underwater camera handy.