Sailfish City - Stuart Florida Community Site

The Treasure Coast of Florida consists of Indian River, Saint Lucie and Martin Counties.  The area got it’s name from a number of Spanish galleons that wrecked off the coast in the in the 17th and 18th centuries, especially those of the Spanish Treasure Fleet of 1715.  Artifacts and treasure from these shipwrecks is still being found off the coast today, hence the name Treasure Coast.  Moving into the future, there is a push to redefine our area as the Research Coast.  Private industry and Florida government officials along with local officials are trying to add a ‘fourth leg’ to the local economy by attracting major research corporations to our area. 

This all began when the Scripps Research Institute made the move to establish a major science center in Jupiter, Florida for biomedical research, drug design and technology developement.  Since then, the Torrey Pines Institute has relocated from California to Port Saint Lucie.  Oregon Health & Science University’s Vaccine and Gene Therapy Institute is going to expand its operations to Port St. Lucie.  Florida Atlantic University has acquired the Harbor Branch Oceanographic Institute and is moving forward with a new marine sciences research and education program.  The Mann Research Center in California is also trying to build a 400,000 square foot life science research center in Tradition near Torrey Pines for an estimated price tag of $100,000,000.

What does that mean for us?  It means more high paying jobs in our area along with more money being spent on local businesses and more oppurtunities for our housing market to improve once again in our area.  Big research companies get to move their employees and scientists to a paradise community and the community gets a financial shot in the arm.  Everyone wins!

Saint Lucie County marine resource coordinate Jim Oppenborn tried to secure a 563 foot decommissioned Navy destroyer for the counties planned artificial reef, but the price tag of $3 million dollars was just to high.  Instead, they will be sinking a 48.8 foot retired tug boat, the Lee, donated by a Martin County marine transport company.

 The Lee is being sank roughly 12 nautical miles SouthEast of the Fort Pierce inlet in about 90 feet of water.  Local volunteer divers are preparing the boat to become an artificial reef by cleaning it out and sealing it up.  The artificial reef is designated to be a dive attraction as well as a fish attraction.  This area is already attracts visitors from around the world to experience the great sportfishing in our waters, this project and others like it are designed to attract divers as well.  The far offshore location will provide for better visibility than if the reef were created closer to the often murkier waters near the shore, which will present more dive oppurtunities for visitors.

“We’re hoping this will build up more of a dive industry here in the county,” Oppenborn said. “Just like we attract fisherman and anglers from all over the state and country, we’d like to get divers (too).”

Oppenborn and his team of local dive volunteers and anglers planned to clean the ship Friday, removing oil, some bunks and cabinets along with marine batteries to be recycled. Fort Pierce based McCulley Marine Services, which has been the county’s contractor to sink other reefs, donated oil soak pads to clean the bilges.

Once it’s sunk, the ship is expected to draw a plethora of fish and people alike.

“This one has toilets so you could sit down there on the toilet had have someone take a picture,” Oppenborn joked. “This one has a good profile so it will attract a lot of fish.”

See the locations of sunken attractions and learn more information about St. Lucie County’s at www.stlucieco.gov/public_works/reefs.htm