The Okaloosa Board of County Commissioners approved a contract on Tuesday for the acquisition, preparation, and deployment of two new vessels as artificial reefs off the coast of Destin-Fort Walton Beach.

• The $740,000 contract with Coleen Marine Inc. will fund the transformation of the MV SPIRIT OF NORFOLK and MV SKIPPIN SUE into underwater habitats for marine life. An additional $42,000 was approved as a weather contingency, bringing the total potential project cost to $782,000. 
• Coleen Marine is the same contractor that is completing the final preparation and deployment of the NEKTON dive vessels back in June.

According to Alex Fogg, Natural Resources Chief for Okaloosa County, back in late 2023, County staff was approached with the opportunity to purchase the MV SPIRIT OF NORFOLK to deploy as an artificial reef.  

The MV SPIRIT OF NORFOLK is a 188-foot-long former dinner cruise vessel that was damaged by fire beyond repair. Similar to the fiery-fate of the SV CORDONAZO, the MV SPIRIT OF NORFOLK will make great marine habitat due to its size, complexity and vertical relief. The ship will provide nearly 40 feet of relief with a 16-foot mast, making it one of the highest-profile artificial reefs in the area.  

Following negotiations, a formal inspection was conducted in May 2024 and during that inspection a second vessel, moored next to the MV SPIRIT OF NORFOLK was identified as a potential reef. 

Due to mobilization and towing costs already being covered in the cost of the MV SPIRIT OF NORFOLK project, the cost of the second vessel, the MV SKIPPIN SUE was lower than similar vessel projects and it was determined that piggybacking this vessel on the existing project was in the best interest of the artificial reef program. 

The MV SKIPPIN SUE, a 110-foot tugboat, is slated for deployment in state waters less than nine miles offshore. Fogg noted that its lower profile makes it suitable for shallower depths in the nearshore artificial reef system.

• “These vessels will be ideal for scuba diving and fishing opportunities,” Fogg said. He added that the new reefs will provide essential habitat for numerous fish species, further enhancing Destin-Fort Walton Beach’s reputation as a premier fishing and diving destination in Florida.  This project will also provide a shallower and more nearshore fishing and diving option to complement a larger offshore artificial reef site.

The project’s funding comes from savings realized on previous artificial reef initiatives. Two vessels (the MV CRIMSON WHITE and MV COUNTESS MONARCH) originally budgeted for $200,000 each were fully funded through other partnerships, while another project (RV DEEP STIM III) came in at one-third of its projected cost due to a tri-county partnership. These savings, totaling $900,000, have been reallocated to the current project.

The contract includes a weather contingency of up to $42,000 to cover potential standby costs if poor weather delays deployment. County officials plan to schedule the deployment during the most favorable weather window in the next 60 days to minimize the need for this contingency.

“This project is another example of how our leadership is focusing their support on making Destin-Fort Walton Beach one-of-a-kind,” added Fogg. “While these two vessels may not be the Titanic, they will make interesting dive sites and the fish and marine critters that will call it home won’t know the difference.” 

These two new reefs are part of Okaloosa County’s 5-Year Artificial Reef Plan aimed at making Destin-Fort Walton Beach the dive capital of the state of Florida and build upon its status as a premier fishing destination. 

More information about the Destin-Fort Walton Beach artificial reef program and reef locations can be found here: https://www.destinfwb.com/explore/eco-tourism/artificial-reefs/