posted by CrankyCronos on Jul 25
Pinellas County has limited their construction to avoid harming this reef’s large established live bottom, placing all the reef material south of the center position. The natural bottom supports a healthy population of sea bass, grunts, and snapper.
Depth: 26-28 feet
N28º 08.250
W82º 55.850
posted by CrankyCronos on Jul 24
Pinellas County Utilities built this reef site in response to public requests for a reef at the south end of the County. You will find this reef approximately one mile north of the wreck “Betty Rose”. It lies ten miles from the John’s Pass entrance marker and 11.5 miles from the Pass-a-Grille channel.
Constructed in October 2001, about 700 tons of concrete culvert, junction boxes, light poles, and slabs make up this reef. The main pile reaches 90 feet long east/west, 35 feet wide north/south, and sixteen feet high. Twenty-five feet south and 75 feet north of the main pile, the reef crew placed ten piles of concrete as part of a monitoring survey program to study reef construction techniques and effectiveness. The reef also boasts the 100-year old Tug “Orange”. This tug is 80 ft. in length and was sunk in 42 ft. of water on April 8, 2003. This reef attracts massive schools of baitfish, and, during the migrating season, lots of Spanish and king mackerel, bonita, and jacks. Several goliath grouper, black seabass, and a friendly six-foot long nurse shark inhabit this reef.
Depth: 45 feet
N27° 43.375
W82° 58.500
posted by CrankyCronos on Feb 3
Veterans Reef was constructed using three steel hulled barges each over 100 foot long, 300 tons of limestone and fabricated fish-attracting devices (FADS).
The reef is rectangular in shape and is approximately 600 feet north to south and 300 feet east to west. The reef is already home to various marine life and to provide further habitats and commemorate past veterans a Lockheed Neptune P2V-3 was placed on top of one of the barges in an upright position. Since then the plane has broken up and provides an ideal habitat for the local marine life.
There are plans to add other commemorative structures at this site over time as the site develops and you may spot one of the two commemorative plaques that were placed in 2001. The Pinellas County Artificial Reef program has deliberately used different materials and structures at each of the reefs to provide different profiles on these reefs and encourage all forms of marine life to inhabit the various structures.
Depth: 40-50 feet
N28º 03.000
W83º 00.750
posted by CrankyCronos on Oct 19
The Tug Orange is the highlight of the South County Artificial Reef site. The tug was built in 1903 as an 80-foot long, steel-hulled harbor tug. Orange was a workhorse used to push railroad barges in the New York Harbor area before moving south and pushing ships around Tampa Bay. The Tampa Bay Towing company donated Orange to the Pinellas County Artificial Reef Program.
The bridge was razed before Orange was sunk in April 2003. The tug lies with a 50 degree list to port with her bow oriented south. A mooring buoy is attached to the bow making this wreck easy to locate. The tug is 200 feet east of the yellow buoy that marks the center of the South County Reef.
The Orange and the surrounding reef are home to a variety of fish including Spanish and king mackerel, jacks, bonita, black sea bass and Goliath grouper. Friendly nurse sharks and barracuda are often spotted near the tug.
Depth: 45 feet
N27° 43.375
W82° 58.450
posted by CrankyCronos on Mar 28
The Sheridan lies within the Pinellas #2 Artificial Reef Site and is just 100 yards southeast of the USCG Blackthorn. The Sheridan is a fantastic wreck dive. The 180-foot tugboat lies upright and fully intact. The tug lists about 50 degrees to starboard with its prop in place. The top of the wreck can be reached at 25-30 feet. The wreck is surrounded by concrete culverts and tires.
Many consider the Sheridan to be one of the best wreck dives in the Tampa/Clearwater area. The Sheridan is home to several Goliath Grouper and barracuda and always has lots of marine life to observe. Spanish mackerel, amberjack, crevelle jack, trigger fish, snapper, and even the occasional shark frequent the reef site. This is a great spot to take pictures of some large grouper. Advanced wreck divers will enjoy exploring the open compartments.
Depth: 75-80 feet
N27° 52.562
W83° 11.140
