While hurricanes can inflict devastating and sometimes irreversible damage on our favorite dive locations, every now and then they present an opportunity for a rebirth, like a phoenix rising from the ashes.

In this case that phoenix was a washed-up cruise liner that found itself in Panama City Beach, Florida, shortly after 2018’s Hurricane Michael.

The 144-foot-long El Dorado was under restoration when the storm carried it from its dock across St. Andrew Bay and left it on its side behind a local university, where for months travelers crossing the Hathaway Bridge could get a view of the overturned ship on their commute. By Christmastime, someone had even painted “Happy Holidays” on the deck for passersby to admire—a message of hope during a time when many residents were still struggling to get back to a sense of normalcy.

In early 2019, a plan was set in motion to relocate El Dorado with the cooperation of Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) and Bay County. The process of sinking an artificial reef is not an easy one, explains Jeff Renchen of FWC. “The biggest expense is cleaning the ship and removing all hazardous materials and floatables, sometimes even removing the engine,” he says. This process can take months—or even years— of inspections to secure permits, funding and locate a site.

Keith Mille, also with FWC, elaborates on the unique situation of El Dorado. “We get calls after every hurricane about someone’s boat being sunk and wondering if they can reef it, but 90 percent of the time, those vessels are fiberglass or not seaworthy. El Dorado was a rare opportunity because it was a derelict vessel that was aluminum, had already been stripped, and met all requirements for the artificial-reef program.”

In the case of El Dorado, the process was seven months from storm to sinking. Renchen says Florida has one of the most active artificial-reef programs in the United States. The area of the state from Escambia to Gulf County has been the most active in the past four years. This is partly due to an increase of funds for artificial-reef programs that came after the BP Deepwater Horizon oil spill in 2010, Renchen explains. The deployment of artificial reefs has been proven to draw tourism. El Dorado adds to Panama City Beach’s more than 50 artificial reef sites and the Florida Panhandle’s many sites, including shipwrecks, barges and natural limestone reefs.

El Dorado was finally sunk in May. Later that month, the first group of divers got to explore the wreck—now sitting at 103 feet, with its top at 62 feet—with local operator Diver’s Den. The dark-green water was a contrast to the stark white of the ship’s hull—I had never seen a wreck so clean. Even more surprising was the amount of marine life moving from end to end of the wreck. Schooling mackerel swarmed the stern and back deck, where, sure enough, “Happy Holidays” was visible and made for a fun photo op. As I headed back up the mooring line, watching the mackerel and schools of baitfish intertwined in what I can only imagine as a fishy jazz performance, I couldn’t help but wonder what this wreck will look like in the years to come.

In October, our divemaster Carlos Orozco shared that the holiday greeting is no longer visible due to new growth. For a wreck that started out with many fishy visitors, “there has been significant aquatic life growth, from sandbar sharks to resident goliath grouper,” he said.

DIVERS GUIDE

CONDITIONS The Gulf of Mexico is unpredictable, and dive conditions vary drastically by season, so consult your operator.
AVERAGE WATER TEMP Varies from high 50s in winter to mid-80s during summer
WHAT TO WEAR 3 mm to 7 mm wetsuit
AVERAGE VIZ 100-plus feet is possible on a good day; on average you can expect 30 to 60
WHEN TO GO Year-round

WHERE TO SPEND YOUR SURFACE INTERVAL

1. Thomas Donut & Snack Shop
Patrons line up outside this roadside snack shop first thing in the morning. Once you taste their doughnuts, you’ll know why it’s worth the wait.

2. Camp Helen State Park
Whether you prefer sunbathing on a secluded beach, kayaking through remote lagoons and marsh or nature walks, this state park has something for everyone and is only a short drive from the main beaches.

3. Pier Park and City Pier
This is beachfront shopping at its finest. Panama City’s version of the London Eye, the SkyWheel, stands among 124 shops and restaurants, granting visitors views for miles in every direction.

Visit, visitpanamacitybeach.com to plan your trip to Panama City Beach, Florida