January 30, 2024
Pre-deployment
The preparation to sink a vessel is no small task. 4:30 AM quickly approached as I reviewed the cluster of items on my kitchen counter before loading them into the car and setting off for Bristol Harbor Marina. Upon arrival, a chilling temperature of 39° rouged my cheeks at the waterfront. By 5:00 AM everyone was aboard the support vessel- we were underway and ready to go!
Pictured above, local news stations WJGH and WMBB provided live updates from the rear deck (aft) of Big Blue Dive Boat before sunrise.
Weather is often the biggest challenge when scheduling a deployment of this magnitude. There are seasonal windows of opportunity that resource managers try to target for deployment operations. Larger vessels require months of planning – sometimes a year or more- to ensure regulatory compliance and to gain consensus among stakeholders regarding the project’s objectives.
Efforts to acquire the R/V Deep Stim III began in February 2023 with initial deployment anticipated in July 2023. After multiple weather and technical delays, we adapted and were ready to lay the R/V Deep Stim III ship to rest. This collaborative artificial reef effort among three counties marks a significant milestone, setting a new standard for conservation endeavors in the Northwest region of Florida.
Deployment
On January 30, 2024, the R/V Deep Stim III was deployed nearly 31 nautical miles southwest from St. Andrew Pass in the Gulf of Mexico.
Once seawater began flooding over the port and starboard sides, the bow gracefully descended below the surface, achieving full submersion in less than 60 seconds. (Watch the Deep Stim III descent here!) The 239-foot seismic research vessel sits at approximately 130 feet on sand bottom, and has about 65 feet of relief. It is now the second largest wreck in Northwest Florida, behind the USS Oriskany.
Post-deployment
The recent episode of Chasin’ the Sun, titled “A Bridge Too Red,” featured a teaser of the R/V Deep Stim III; it aired on the Discovery Channel on February 10, 2024. The episode can be viewed on YouTube here: R/V DEEP STIM III teaser trailer (trailer begins at 17:45). Stay tuned for more updates in 2024!
The Deep Stim III project also garnered international attention when it was featured on the BBC network on February 6, 2024: BBC – DEEP STIM III Feature
We extend our sincere gratitude to all the Tourism Development Councils involved (Okaloosa, Walton, and Bay), as well as the Bay County BOCC, for their contributions to this historic project. The Bay County Artificial Reef Program expresses appreciation to the numerous non-profits whose dedication ensured the success of this tri-county endeavor. We hope that this project will serve as a catalyst for many more to come!
Finally, big thank you to Captain Kelly Colwell for accommodating everyone on the Big Blue Dive Boat for this unique deployment!
Official coordinates for the site are: 30° 03.035′ N, 86° 17.758′ N
Final Thoughts
With nearly 800 unique public artificial reef locations in the Gulf waters of Bay County, we invite you to explore the newly updated Bay County Artificial Reef Website! 
Coordinate data is available to download in a variety of formats (GPX, KML, Excel, CSV, and PDF).
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