Okaloosa County, Florida – A 224-foot vessel is set to get a second life beneath the Gulf, not as a ship crossing open water, but as a new home for marine life, divers and anglers.
Okaloosa County and Panama City Beach are teaming up again, this time to create the “Sposit” Reef by deploying the vessel “Henry Alex” into the region’s growing artificial reef system. The project was approved Tuesday, June 16, 2026, by the Okaloosa County Board of County Commissioners.
The agreement brings together Okaloosa County, the Panama City Beach Convention & Visitors Bureau, and CCA Florida in a multi-county effort aimed at expanding underwater habitat while adding another major dive and fishing destination in the Gulf. The partnership follows earlier work between Okaloosa County’s tourism department, Destin-Fort Walton Beach, and Panama City Beach, including the 2023 deployment of the 239-foot Deep Stim III.
“The marine life that benefits from these artificial reefs does not see borders,” said Okaloosa County Board Chairman Trey Goodwin. “We are pleased to be working again with our neighbors in Panama City Beach on this effort as a showing of how the power of partnerships can create something worthy for our residents, visitors and the environment.”
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The cost to purchase, prepare and transport the vessel is estimated at $450,000. Okaloosa County and the Panama City Beach Convention & Visitors Bureau will split that cost equally, with each contributing $225,000. CCA Florida will add another $60,000 to cover towing and deployment expenses. Officials said the project is being funded through tourism development tax revenue and partner contributions.
The reef is being named in memory of Rebecca Sposit, the late Human Resources Director at the CCA National office. CCA said the name honors her work and her impact on marine conservation.
“Rebecca Sposit did so much for marine conservation through her role at CCA, in ways the public could never see,” said Pat Murray, CCA’s National President and CEO. “She was a beloved part of CCA and this reef is a lasting testament to her impact on the organization and the marine environment.”
The proposed deployment site is 30° 05.831’N, -86° 17.749’W, in about 120 feet of water. It sits about 22 nautical miles from the Destin East Pass and 28 nautical miles from the Panama City Pass. Deployment is expected in fall 2026.
Okaloosa County already has 48 large vessels in the Gulf that have been deployed since the 1970s. They are part of nearly 600 artificial reefs in the area. Existing large-vessel reefs can be explored through 3D imaging at https://www.destinfwb.com/explore/eco-tourism/artificial-reefs/3d-models/
