New Reefs Are Coming To Pensacola....Hopefully!

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GLENFWB

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Saw an interesting report on WEAR Channel 3 in Pensacola tonight. This is pretty good news if it all comes to pass and is done in the right way. Go to the link to see the video I have pasted the text of the story below the link.

WEAR ABC 3 :: Top Stories - Artificial Reefs Placed off Coast of Portofino


PENSACOLA BEACH - A new reef project in the Gulf of Mexico is expected to pay big dividends for an industry devastated by the oil spill.

In the next few weeks crews will drop 19 pairs of artificial reefs offshore just east of Portofino which is expected to bring droves of snorkelers and divers.

Tim Rak's been diving and snorkeling in the Gulf of Mexico since moving here from Cleveland 8 years ago.

"The good part about Pensacola diving is our waters are crystal clear... the bottoms are beautiful."

But Tim and the owners of the Scuba Shack in Pensacola say there's very little to see close to shore.

"The Visitors Center frequently calls me to say I have people here who wanna go snorkeling... where can they go?"

But after two years of struggle, Escambia County finally got the U.S. Army Corp of Engineers to approve the use of these artificial reefs which are expected to boost snorkeling and offshore diving numbers tremendously.

"Visibility sometimes on the Gulf, within the first 1/2 mile... is all the way down.. you can see 30 feet down, and so its very safe... and it doesn't take that much time to go out there... do a dive and come on back."

And it couldn't come at a better time for the dive industry.

"After this past year, of course with the oil spill being here... our business has literally been dead. So, any little help .... anything is a welcome relief for us as divers and people who are in the business."

And any day now, the county expects to get approval to put the same type of reefs in on the soundside, right here, near the entrance to Fort Pickens.

There is also a third reef project in the works off Perdido Key.
But the County Marine Resources Division is still trying to determine an exact location for those reefs.
 
If you watch the video of the news story, 50 seconds in to the video they show a picture of the reef structures approved. It seems to be some type rock or artificial rock. They say they are going to drop 19 of them off of Pensacola Beach.

I wonder what they are using for reefs?
 
This is good to hear indeed. I wonder how far offshore they plan on dropping them; they state snorkeling so I am assuming it would be rather shallow.
 
I wish that I could catch Pensacola on one of those "crystal clear" days! I always hear the comment "you should'a been here yesterday"

I think artificial reefs up and down the Gulf Coast would be great, but storms will be a big factor in how they do. I have a mental picture of an artificial reef sitting a mile on shore.... :wink: The sunken bridge spans have done OK, but even the Oriskany didn't like the first big storm that blew through.
 
The report said Pensacola Beach would be first, then Fort Pickens, and then somewhere around Predido I think....not sure about the last one.

It looks as though Ft Pickens will be getting some new reefs too.
 
I think the biggest danger to these reefs are being covered and uncovered with sand. They look like short concrete "like" structures. They will be much like bridge rubble as far as stability. I am for them trying anything like this. I am happy to see the county understanding the positive economic impact something like this could have in our area.

I wish that I could catch Pensacola on one of those "crystal clear" days! I always hear the comment "you should'a been here yesterday"

I think artificial reefs up and down the Gulf Coast would be great, but storms will be a big factor in how they do. I have a mental picture of an artificial reef sitting a mile on shore.... :wink: The sunken bridge spans have done OK, but even the Oriskany didn't like the first big storm that blew through.
 
Too bad they can't drop out some old small (under 50 ft) boats, etc... as part of the dive attraction so that you can do them as a shore dive.

but I'm guessing that a good hurricane would just break them up and wash them up on the beach eventually? right?
 
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