CANADA: For the past two years founders of the South Walton Artificial Reef Association have been working to create that, and Friday that dream became a reality for SWARA and their President Andy McAlexander.
“Pretty, pretty excited. It is unbelievable actually,” said McAlexander.
Twenty-five reefs were deployed a few hundred feet from the shore of Grayton Beach State Park.
In a matter of days these reefs will bring in a whole new marine life to the area.
“This reef is fascinating it is in the shape of a turtle, but it would be considered a close inshore reef,” said Laura Tiu, Marine Science & Sea Grant Agent for University of Florida IFAS Extension. “So the purpose of it is inshore for fisherman. It is very accessible by kayak, or small boats, things out tourist would have access too.”
And that easy accessibility has one local very excited.
“I think it will bring a lot of fish to the area, and it will be fun to go snorkeling in,” said Kingston, a local resident.
McAlexander says the support they continue to receive from a number of local organizations will keep this project going for generations to come.
“Everybody has been so positive about the effort,” said McAlexander. “Now it is already an exciting and fantastic community to live in, and visit, and now there is just another dimension added to that now.”
McAlexander says the next step is to get the last 33 towers constructed and then deploy those along with nine fish diving reefs throughout the gulf.
