Three miles southeast of Pensacola Pass is a site that was intended from the beginning to be an artificial reef. Just not at its current location.

In 1974, three 200-foot coal barges were being towed to where they were intended to be scuttled. They never made it.

Breaking free from their tow, they ended up in a spot where the Navy feared they might become a hazard to navigation. Several well-placed explosive charges later, the barges went to the bottom.

The barges now sit in 60 feet of water with their tops at 45 feet. They are a good dive for divers of all experience levels.

Time and weather have caused them to break up considerably, and they are surrounded by bridge rubble which further enhances the reef-building process.