If you're like many of us, then you love diving historic wrecks. With this in mind, we've got a new site to tell you about - one many divers can't wait to visit. Just about two miles off the northern tip of Egmont Key lies the wreck of a Civil War era tugboat called the USS Narcissus. The ship sank during a storm, carrying two dozen U.S. Navy sailors to their deaths, and for one and a half centuries, it lay there, mostly forgotten. Today, though, the 82 foot tug is in the process of becoming a new underwater archaeological preserve.
A Ship's Story: Putting the USS Narcissus on the Map
Once Narcissus has been officially named a state historic site, a bronze plaque will be set in place at the wreck site, and it will be made available to divers. This amazing wreck lies at a depth of just 15 feet, and is still officially owned by the U.S. Navy. The ship and her crew participated in the Battle of Mobile Bay, and she in fairly good condition. Researchers photographing and mapping the wreck are particularly impressed by the steam engine, propeller, drive shaft, and portions of the wooden hull.
Today, the wreck of the Narcissus is a fantastic refuge for a wide array of marine life. Covered in hard and soft coral, it is teeming with cobia and shelters resident Goliath groupers. Built in 1863 in Albany, New York, the ship was first called Mary Cook. She was renamed when the Navy commissioned her in 1864. In addition to her participation in battles, Narcissus was put to work blockading Southern ports. She was on her way back to New York from Pensacola to be decommissioned and sold, when on January 4th, she encountered a storm. Travelling at full speed ahead, she struck a sandbar. The ship's boiler exploded and she sank.
In the late 1990's, a group of divers rediscovered the wreck of the Narcissus and notified the state of Florida of its position. It took several years for the state to come through with grants for the Florida Aquarium to begin investigating this site in earnest as part of an overall underwater exploration of the Tampa Bay area. First, a team of research divers measured the ship's remains using simple tools including folding rulers. Next, they utilized sonar sensing technology to create a number of three-dimensional images of the wreckage. Once the process of completing the archaeological survey has been finalized, the state will open the site to divers.
While you're waiting to enjoy a dive on the USS Narcissus, consider visiting one of Florida's existing underwater archaeological preserves, where you'll find shipwrecks that hold special historic significance. Some of the most popular include the SS Tarpon, which is located a short distance off Panama City, and the USS Massachusetts (BB-2), an Indiana Class battleship that served in the Spanish-American War, and that was scuttled off Pensacola in 1921. These sites are open year-round, and are free to visit. Like all wrecks, their time is limited; enjoy them now, before they are lost to the ravages of time and Mother Nature.