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FLORIDA SKIN
DIVER
Section
E
- Chart, Coordinates
Table and Log Entries
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Sheridan
Tug Wreck (ST) Tramp Steamer (TS)
USCG Blackthorn Memorial - just north of the Skyway Bridge
The story of the accidental sinking Jan. 28, 1980 has been told and retold for 30 years... but little has been written about the ship since it was made into an artificial reef. The FWC website states that the Blackthorn was placed on the bottom as an artificial reef in Dec of 1982, but I knew that was wrong because I logged my first dive on the wreck in October of 1981 and friends had made the dive the day they sunk her that summer. A little research validated my belief... July 30, 1981, Blackthorn' Sent Back To The Bottom , St Pete Times article by John Harwood.
I
hit the Blackthorn &
Sheridan many times last year and have personally dove it over
40 times, since the
summer 1981, always
keeping track of it's
condition. The 1993 "No Name
Storm" really
changed the wreck.
A fire hose nozzel and a porthole from the USCG Cutter Blackthorn.
WRECK TREK: With the
information on my
illustration, advanced
divers can navigate from the
Sheridan Tug to the
Blackthorn hull and
superstructure, and also
to the
Seafood Barge. Listed
are all the exact
ranges, bearings and GPS
coordinates of each end
of all three wrecks.
The Sheridan Tug
is listing much harder
to starboard now. The
Seafood Barge has opened
up, making it a better
dive. Even more changes
have occurred to
the Blackthorn since my
2007 illustration above.
An updated illustration
is in the works.
D.
T. Sheridan
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All coordinates are here!
