|The “Upside-Down Barge” is so named because it landed upside-down when it was deployed. Based on the Martin County archives, it has been established that the Upside-Down Barge was deployed as an Artificial Reef in the Donaldson Permitted Area sometime between 1980 and 1986. It remains upside-down in 65 feet of water.
The F.O.S. Dive Team rarely if ever conducted team dives at this site and the only information available is from the 2004 Monitoring event. Based on this event, it has been estimated that this Steel barge is in the worst condition of any of the Steel barges that were a part of this study. It has completely collapsed into itself with its structural ribs exposed and the hull and deck plates scattered about the site. This is probably due to the poor condition that the barge was in prior to it being sunk. What is left of this barge is heavily encrusted and teeming with all kinds of Fish.
One particular item of interest is the group of noticeably large and colorful Anemones that reside exclusively on what remains of the Southeast corner of the barge. This too is a great site for Macro Photography
In 2005, the Upside-Down Barge reef site was augmented with the addition of four Reefmaker units that now surround the site and add to the available growth structure.