New Wreck as of Today in Panama City, FL

[PCBCaptChris]

They sunk an new wreck in Panama City Beach today. It was a cooperative effort lead by the FLDOT. The a Span from the old DuPont Bridge, built in 1929 at the same time as the first Hathaway Bridge, sunk. While some of you might be familiar with the Bridge Spans currently in the area they are slightly smaller and from the Second Generation of the Hathaway Bridge built in 1959. The span is in approximately 98' of water and is out toward the Mac Reef that was put down a couple of years ago. It is considered and off shore "6-hour" trip. Here is a picture of the new reef before sinking. http://civil.pcl.com/media/files/projects/55_civilse/5508101_hpim0572_guy removed_300_thmb.jpg Does anyone have a better picture?

Photos of the sinking will be available from PCDC website at: Panama City Dive Center

Also, the new Red Sea tug boat should be down in the immediate future as well. I will provide more information then.

 

[mike_s]

Also, the new Red Sea tug boat should be down in the immediate future as well. I will provide more information then.

I think the "Red Sea" tug is the also called "Infinity Blu" wreck?


I was wondering when they were goint to sink it.... (I think their initial goal was December last year). I asked Gomez this past summer and they still had a lot to do in permits and scans, etc...

should be a decent wreck when they sink it.

 

[PCBCaptChris]

The "Red Sea" Tug is in fact in in the same as the "Infinity Blu" Wreck/Reef. When it sinks... It will be over toward the Strength, just hair further away. I think it will be a great dive site when it goes down! It has alot of relief on it which is always nice.

 

[PCBCaptChris]

The wreck sunk perfectly. It was upright, and even better, it had fish all over it right after sinking... Kinda crazy right? Nope... It landed immediately beside a large pile of pipes put down by Berg pipe, at Port Panama City, years back.

Here is a better picture:

 

[mike_s]

did they crane if off or just slide it off the barge?

 

[PCBCaptChris]

It was just slid off the side. I'll get some shots of it when it hit the water... It went straight down.

 

[revvie]

Just out of curiosity, is DuPont bridge the one over by Tyndall Parkway? I can't recall since I never spent much time on the east side of town, I lived over on the Beach for a few years growing up.

 

[wjefferis]

This looks like a fun dive site. Do you have any more info on the depths other than the bottom depth of 98 FSW? I was wondering just how much relief it has. From the picture it looks like it would be at least 30 feet off the bottom (?).

 

[PCBCaptChris]

Yes. The DuPont Bridge is the bridge that crosses over to Tyndall AFB.

I actually went diving there today. The water is still very comfortable. I think my max depth was 96' and the top was 57'. This bridge span is certainly no Hathaway Bridge span. It looks very different than any other span in the area. It is larger and has a large space under the deck. They actually cut large circular holes in the road way and you can easily swim through and under the deck. It is really a great dive. While I was there I took four trigger fish home with me for dinner and left quite a few more I didn't want to eat. ONLY A FEW DAYS AFTER SINKING!!! All those pipes that happened to be immediately beside the span helped out a bunch.

Here is a news link with a video of the span prior to sinking: http://www.wjhg.com/news/headlines/33540444.html and another: http://www.wjhg.com/news/headlines/33402959.html

 

[frankc420]

Get ready to start cleaning up fishing line, that thing will take many weights