Take Your Adventure Under Water

Explore our incredible scenery hiding beneath the waves – that's The Way to Beach!

The Pensacola Bay Area's emerald waters provide many scuba diving and snorkeling opportunities. Enjoy casual below-the-surface trips just off the beach, or gear up for a visit to the USS Oriskany, the world's largest artificial reef. Our water temperatures range from the mid-80s in summer to the mid-60s in winter, when visibility is generally at its best, making diving a year-round activity.

Dozens of ghostly shipwrecks and underwater structures teem with sea life in our pristine Gulf waters and beg to be explored by scuba divers and snorkelers.

A Quick Look Under the Water

List-Worthy Dives

The Great Carrier Reef

In 2006 the 872-foot aircraft carrier USS Oriskany took her final voyage over the Gulf of Mexico to become the world’s largest artificial reef — about 25 miles south of Pensacola Beach.

Sailors called the USS Oriskany “The Mighty O" when she served in both the Korean and Vietnam Wars. Today she makes natural history as The Great Carrier Reef, the flagship of the Panhandle Shipwreck Trail.

The Oriskany sits upright on the bottom in 220 feet of water. The bottom sits well beyond the depth for recreational divers, but its tower reaches up to about 84 feet below the surface. The island superstructure, including the bridges, is above the recreational diving limit of 130 feet. Technical divers can land on the flight deck at 145 feet, and the cavernous Hangar Bay beckons at 175 feet.

Joe Patti Reef

In 2013 the Joe Patti Reef was deployed in approximately 50 feet of water just three miles east of the Pensacola Pass on Pensacola Beach. This 175 x 80-foot barge acts as an underwater art gallery, covered in artwork depicting famous Pensacola landmarks and businesses like the iconic Pensacola Beach marlin sign, Joe Patti’s logo sign, Blue Angels flying in their famous Diamond Formation, the Casino Beach Ball, and more. Artist Kevin Marchetti created 120 stainless steel memorials and sculptures, some of which contain the ashes of loved ones. The wreck even has a mock Flora-Bama bar with bar stools and colorful beer mugs welcoming divers to take a break.

The San Pablo

This mysterious ship has wowed divers for decades. The San Pablo, also called “the Russian Freighter,” hauled fruit until it was sunk by a U-Boat near Central America. It was re-floated, only to be sunk again off Pensacola Beach in 1944 by the U.S. as part of a top-secret weapons test. A radio-controlled boat packed with 3,000 pounds of explosives scattered the San Pablo across the seafloor. Today, divers can explore boilers, refrigeration coils, and huge sections of twisted metal, all home to an impressive array of marine life.

Pete Tide II

Even a lowly supply boat makes a magnificent sight on the seafloor. Sunk in 1993, the Pete Tide II looks like it’s ready to set sail. It stands eerily upright from 100 to 60 feet of water, luring divers to explore the bridge. Three runaway coal barges scuttled during an emergency in 1974 are home to sea life at 50 feet — a favorite for divers to hone their skills.

USS Massachusetts

Considered the oldest battleship still in existence, the USS Massachusetts has spent the past 97 years rusting at the mouth of Pensacola Bay. In 1920, the retired battleship served as target practice from the battery at Fort Pickens. After weeks of cannon fire, she finally sank in 26 feet of water.

Now an Underwater Archaeological Preserve managed by the state of Florida – the USS Massachusetts takes you back in time more than a century. Her wreckage is a popular shallow diving spot as it is well lit by the sun and swarming with marine life. It is possible to snorkel the Massachusetts at times, as the top of her wheelhouse still breaks the surface at low tide.

IMPORTANT: When diving or snorkeling the Mass, caution is advised. Because of her location in the pass, the current rips through her wreckage at a high velocity, except during slack tide. Arrive at the tail end of high tide, and prepare to dive in the slack hour or two before the water starts rushing back out of the pass.

Remember, diving is an adventure sport. Please pay attention to your local dive providers and heed any warnings and/or directions from local authorities.

You'll find hundreds of dive sites to experience, including wrecks, natural bottom, and artificial reefs. Dive into all that awaits.

Types of Diving in Pensacola >