Explore the Red Sea Tug Wreck: Dive A Florida Diving Wreck

While not as massive as some Florida wrecks like the Oriskany, the Red Sea Tug’s accessible depth, interesting structure, and position as part of a larger artificial reef program make it a valuable addition to Florida’s diverse underwater attractions for divers.

Article at a Glance

Historical Background: The Red Sea Tug, built in the 1970s in Philadelphia, served as a working tugboat for over two decades before being sold to foreign owners and eventually becoming an artificial reef.
Intentional Sinking: On June 24, 2009, the tug was intentionally sunk off Panama City Beach, Florida, as part of a community effort to create a new underwater habitat for marine life and a diving attraction.
Diving Accessibility: With a maximum depth of 74 feet (22 meters) and a relief of 36 feet (11 meters), the Red Sea Tug is accessible to recreational divers, making it a popular dive site in the Gulf of Mexico.
Location Coordinates: The wreck is located approximately 5.5 miles offshore, with coordinates of 30° 00.958′ N and 85° 42.003′ W, placing it in the heart of the “Wreck Capital of the South.”
Marine Ecosystem: Since its sinking, the Red Sea Tug has developed into a thriving artificial reef, attracting a variety of marine life, including schools of fish, corals, and invertebrates.
Diving Experience: Divers can explore various parts of the wreck, including the bridge and deck, with opportunities for both exterior exploration and potential penetration dives for trained individuals.
Local Dive Shops: Several dive shops in Panama City Beach, such as Panama City Diving and Red Alert Diving, offer trips to the Red Sea Tug, providing guided experiences for divers looking to explore this unique underwater site.

Shipwreck Location Coordinates and Depth

Depth

The Red Sea Tug rests at the following depths:

Maximum depth: 74 feet (22 meters)
Relief (height of structure): 36 feet (11 meters)

Location Coordinates

The Red Sea Tug is located at:

Latitude: 30° 00.958′ N
Longitude: 85° 42.003′ W

What Do Scuba Divers Say About This Ship

It’s considered a popular and accessible dive site off the coast of Panama City Beach, Florida.
The wreck provides an interesting artificial reef habitat for marine life, making it an attractive spot for divers to explore.
The maximum depth of 74 feet (22 meters) makes it accessible to many recreational divers.
Divers can explore various parts of the former tugboat, including the bridge structure.
The intentional sinking of the Red Sea Tug in 2009 was part of efforts to create new underwater attractions and habitats in the area known as the “Wreck Capital of the South”.
The wreck’s relatively shallow depth and 36-foot relief (height of structure) provide good opportunities for exploration.
While specific diver reviews for this wreck are not provided in the search results, artificial reefs like the Red Sea Tug generally attract a variety of marine life, enhancing the diving experience.
The wreck’s location about 5.5 miles offshore makes it a destination for boat diving trips from Panama City Beach.

What Kind of Marine Life Can Be Found on The Ship

Fish Species

Schools of barracuda
Batfish
Various reef fish species

Invertebrates and Corals

Soft corals
Sponges
Possibly hard corals, though these take longer to establish

Other Marine Life

Moray eels
Lionfish (an invasive species in the Gulf of Mexico)
Glassfish

Ecosystem Development

The Red Sea Tug, sunk in 2009, has likely developed into a thriving artificial reef over the years. As with other artificial reefs in the area:

The structure provides habitat for a variety of marine species.
Over time, the wreck becomes encrusted with marine growth, attracting more diverse marine life.
The wreck creates a complex ecosystem, with different species occupying various niches within and around the structure.

Key Information

Attribute	Information
Name	Red Sea Tug
Type	Tugboat
Length	130 feet (39.6 meters)
Width	30 feet (9.1 meters)
Location	Off Panama City Beach, Florida
Coordinates	30° 00.958′ N, 85° 42.003′ W
Maximum Depth	74 feet (22 meters)
Relief (Height)	36 feet (11 meters)
Sinking Date	June 24, 2009
Purpose	Intentionally sunk as an artificial reef
Year Built	1970s
Build Location	Philadelphia
Distance from Shore	Approximately 5.5 miles
Interesting Features	Bridge structure, potential for interior exploration
Marine Life	Various reef fish, potential for coral growth
Accessibility	Suitable for recreational divers

Red Sea Tug

What Makes The Red Sea Tug Shipwreck a Unique Diving Experience

Historical Significance

Built in Philadelphia in the 1970s, the Red Sea Tug has an interesting backstory of working in US waters for over 20 years before being sold to foreign owners.
Its journey to becoming an artificial reef involved multiple owners, mechanical failures, and community efforts to fund its sinking.

Intentional Sinking

The Red Sea Tug was intentionally sunk on June 24, 2009, as part of a project to create an artificial reef .
This planned sinking allows for a safer and more accessible dive site compared to accidental shipwrecks.

Accessibility

With a maximum depth of 74 feet (22 meters), the Red Sea Tug is accessible to many recreational divers.
Its 36-foot (11 meter) relief provides interesting vertical structure to explore.

Location

Situated off the coast of Panama City Beach, Florida, it’s part of the area known as the “Wreck Capital of the South”.
Its coordinates (30° 00.958′ N, 85° 42.003′ W) make it a specific destination for divers.

Community Effort

The sinking of the Red Sea Tug was a community project, with local dive shops contributing funds over several years.
The Panama City Beach Tourist Development Council ultimately provided the balance of funds needed to complete the project.

Artificial Reef Development

Since its sinking in 2009, the Red Sea Tug has likely developed into a thriving artificial reef, attracting various marine life.
As an artificial reef, it provides habitat for fish and other marine organisms, enhancing the local ecosystem.

Diving Experience

The wreck offers opportunities for both exterior exploration and potential penetration dives for properly trained divers.
Its relatively recent sinking means divers can observe the ongoing process of a ship transforming into an artificial reef.

How Does The Red Sea Tug Compare to Other Shipwrecks in Florida

Size and Type

The Red Sea Tug is a 130-foot long, 30-foot wide tugboat.
This makes it smaller than some of the larger wrecks like the USS Oriskany aircraft carrier, but larger than many other tugboat wrecks in Florida.

Depth and Accessibility

Maximum depth is 74 feet, with the top at about 40 feet.
This relatively shallow depth makes it accessible to many recreational divers, unlike deeper technical dive sites.

Age and Condition

Intentionally sunk in 2009, it’s a relatively recent artificial reef compared to older accidental shipwrecks.
Being purpose-sunk, it was likely prepared to be safer for divers than accidental wrecks.

Location

Part of the “Wreck Capital of the South” off Panama City Beach.
Contributes to the diverse array of wrecks in the Florida Panhandle Shipwreck Trail.

Historical Significance

Built in Philadelphia in 1929, it has an interesting history as a working tugboat before becoming an artificial reef.

Diving Experience

Offers both exterior exploration and potential penetration dives for properly trained divers.
Its upright position provides an easy-to-navigate structure.

Marine Life

As an artificial reef, it has likely developed a thriving ecosystem over the years, though specific details weren’t provided in the search results.

What is The Full History of This Ship

Origins and Early History

Built in Philadelphia in the 1970s
Worked in US waters for over 20 years as a tugboat

Change of Ownership and Mechanical Issues

Sold to foreign owners after its service in US waters
While en route to Venezuela under new ownership, it experienced mechanical failure in the Miami River

Journey to Becoming an Artificial Reef

After the mechanical failure, it was sold several times
Eventually taken to Stock Island near Key West, Florida
Came to the attention of Captain Mike Mayers of Atlantis Towing & Salvage
Mayers presented the possibility of using it as an artificial reef to Mike Gomez of PCDC and Danny Grizzard of FAMI in Panama City Beach

Acquisition and Preparation

An agreement was reached to buy and sink the Red Sea in early 2007
A $20,000 deposit secured the wreck in Panama City
This initial funding came from local dive shops contributing $1 per boat customer and maintaining donation boxes
The project faced numerous challenges including storms, dockage issues, and cleaning

Community Support

The City of Panama City allowed free dockage
A local tugboat company helped move it several times
Capt. Alan Golden, Bay County Reef Coordinator, provided guidance and had the smokestack cut for clearance

Final Stages and Sinking

In 2009, the Panama City Beach Tourist Development Council provided the remaining funds needed
On June 24, 2009, about two years after the project began, the Red Sea was intentionally sunk

Current Status

Now rests in just over 70 feet of water off the coast of Panama City Beach
Has become a popular addition to the local wreck diving trail
Serves as an artificial reef, attracting marine life and divers

What Historical Features Can Still Be Identified on the Red Sea Tug Wreck

Overall structure: The basic shape and structure of the tugboat is likely still identifiable, including features like the bridge, deck, and hull.
Mechanical components: Elements like the propeller, rudder, and possibly parts of the engine room may be visible, depending on how the ship was prepared for sinking.
Accessibility: As an intentionally sunk ship, there may be specially cut openings to allow safer diver access to interior spaces.
Marine growth: After over a decade underwater, the wreck would be covered in marine growth, which can both obscure and enhance certain features.
Artifacts: While most removable items are typically stripped before sinking, there may still be fixed elements like gauges, controls, or structural components that hint at the ship’s former use.
Deck features: Depending on how it was prepared, some deck features like railings, winches, or other equipment specific to tugboats might still be identifiable.

What Safety Measures Are in Place for Divers Visiting the Red Sea Tug

Depth restrictions: With a maximum depth of 74 feet (22 meters), the wreck is within recreational diving limits, making it accessible to many divers while avoiding extreme depths.
Recommended training: While not explicitly stated for this wreck, artificial reefs often have recommended minimum training levels for divers, such as Open Water certification or higher.
Guided dives: Local dive operators likely offer guided dives to the site, providing supervision and local knowledge.
Mooring buoys: Given its status as an intentionally sunk artificial reef, it’s probable that mooring buoys are in place to prevent anchor damage and provide a secure tie-off point for dive boats.
Preparation of the wreck: As an intentionally sunk ship, it was likely prepared for diving, with potential hazards removed and possibly some entry/exit points created for safer exploration.
Local regulations: The wreck is part of the “Wreck Capital of the South” area, which likely has specific diving regulations and guidelines in place to ensure safety and preservation of the sites.
Dive planning: The known depth and relief of the wreck (36 feet or 11 meters) allows for proper dive planning and gas management.
Environmental considerations: As an artificial reef, there may be guidelines in place to protect the developing marine ecosystem.

Dive Shops That Provide Diving Trips to This Shipwreck

Panama City Diving
- Address: 106 Thomas Dr, Panama City Beach, FL 32408
- Phone: (850) 588-8077
- Website: https://panamacitydiving.com
Red Alert Diving
- Address: 1619 Moylan Rd, Panama City Beach, FL 32407
- Phone: (850) 238-8760
- Website: https://redalertdiving.com/
Dive Locker
- Address: 1010 Thomas Drive, Panama City Beach, FL 32408