Tug Orange

Fast Facts:

• Average Depth: 40 ft. / 12 m
• Max Depth: 45 ft. / 14 m

Features:

• Wreck Site
• Mooring Buoys
• Artificial Reef

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The Tug Orange is the highlight of the South County Artificial Reef site. The tug was built in 1903 as an 80-foot long, steel-hulled harbor tug. Orange was a workhorse used to push railroad barges in the New York Harbor area before moving south and pushing ships around Tampa Bay. The Tampa Bay Towing company donated Orange to the Pinellas County Artificial Reef Program.

The bridge was razed before Orange was sunk in 45 feet of water in April 2003. The tug lies with a 50 degree list to port with her bow oriented south. A mooring buoy is attached ot the bow making this wreck easy to locate. The tug is 200 feet east of the yellow buoy that marks the center of the South County Reef.

The Orange and the surrounding reef are home to a variety of fish including Spanish and king mackerel, jacks, bonita, black sea bass and Goliath grouper. Friendly nurse sharks and barracuda are often spotted near the tug.