South Walton Artificial Reef Association Provides New Adventures for Families

One sunny day late last fall, Andy MacAlexander stood on the side of his boat in his wet suit, a scuba tank slung over his shoulders, a pair of rubber flippers on his feet. He peered down into the dark-blue water. 

Though invisible from the surface, about 60 feet below, 6,000-pound hunks of limestone, concrete and metal rested in the sand. Just four months earlier, MacAlexander had been in this exact spot, watching a giant crane hoist the pyramid-shaped structures from the deck of a barge and then lower them slowly into the Gulf of Mexico.

This project is MacAlexander’s brainchild: a series of artificial reefs, sunk nearshore and in deeper waters, to create perfect ecosystems for snorkeling, scuba diving and fishing. Now it was time to dip under the surface and see what those hunks of submerged construction material had become.

He splashed into the water and dove down.

A rainbow of vibrant colors was alive, pulsing with action. Red and black snapper swarmed in large numbers. Dozens of grey triggerfish and gag grouper darted around. Varieties of airy plankton drifted by. He spotted spindly arrow crabs, the daddy longlegs of the sea. Black-and-white-striped spadefish. Bright, blue tang with their fluorescent yellow tails.

MacAlexander was blown away. He dove the reefs shortly after they were sunk, but at that time they were still nearly barren. He knew on this dive he would see fish, but the quantity was staggering and completely unexpected. He and his dive partners were giddy with excitement.

“It was almost silly, just ridiculous how many fish we saw after only four months,” he said. “No one really ever imagines it. I mean, you put something out there, and it instantly has an impact. As soon as you put it in the water, the fish know it’s there.”

Life under the waves

MacAlexander’s passion for what’s below the water’s surface began at a young age. He grew up in Memphis, Tenn., but he and his family took regular trips to the Caribbean for diving adventures.

“There has always been an emotional tie to it,” he said. “Maybe it was just the way I was born, but I can’t get away from saltwater. Some people dig the mountains. Some people dig New York City. I dig the gulf.”

It was this love for the gulf that brought him to South Walton where he could snorkel and dive and raise a family, fostering in them their own love of the salt and the sand.

Then in 2010, the Deepwater Horizon oil spill happened, leaking over 4 million barrels of oil into the gulf over three months.

“Everyone was freaking out about the oil and the impacts on tourism and the impact on the economy,” MacAlexander recalled. “Everyone was thinking from a financial perspective: there are going to be penalties and fines, and everybody’s either losing money or making money.”

“But what about the fish?”

MacAlexander knew the spill would affect the ecosystem thriving under the water’s surface. Much of human action has an effect on the environment, and for almost half the country, those effects drain into the Mississippi River and then flow right into the Gulf of Mexico. The motor oil that drips from a car, the tons of discarded plastic, the chemicals used to treat crops.

As MacAlexander mulled these thoughts and continued to dive and spend hours underwater, he came up with an idea. Maybe they could build artificial reefs, places where fish could find refuge and people could snorkel or dive and experience all the life thriving under the sea. Those people might gain a greater appreciation of how humans and the environment interact.

Over 3.5 million tourists visit South Walton each year. If 10 percent of those people — 350,000 people a year — went home with a new perspective, that could make a difference, he thought.

“If it’s in front of you, you can’t neglect it. You can’t say it’s not beautiful when you go down there to look at it,” MacAlexander said. “It’s not just a cool place to go boogie board or body surf; it’s not just somewhere to lay on the sand and get sunburned. There’s actually life under those waves, and it’s amazing. It’s super-freaking cool to see. And it’s something worth protecting.”

A Reef is Born

People got on board with MacAlexander’s vision almost immediately.

In 2013, the South Walton Artificial Reef Association (SWARA) began with the generous support of a handful of local donors and county, state and national organizations. By the end of last year, they had spent $2 million building reefs off the coast of Walton County, and the program has grown to be one of the most ambitious in the state of Florida. This summer alone, the group sunk over 2.5 million pounds of concrete, steel and limestone.

The grassroots organization has one paid staff member, the rest of the group are all volunteers.

“There’s a heck of a lot of backbone in this organization,” MacAlexander said. “I’m passionate about it because it’s just who I am, but it’s the whole community that has made this happen.”

Four inshore snorkel reefs are complete off Miramar Beach, Topsail Hill Beach, Grayton Beach and Inlet Beach. The 12 dive reefs, which are 19 percent complete, are sprinkled farther off the coast, from half a mile to a mile out, stretching along the county’s coastline.

The first reef the group completed is located at Grayton Beach State Park. A sign on the shore and yellow pole visible from the gulf gives directions to its location about 200 yards offshore. (Coordinates and maps for all the reefs are available at waltonreefs.org.)

When swimming past the sandbar out to the reef, it’s incredibly quiet underwater. Aside from the waves, there aren’t any sounds at all.

“When you get closer to the reef, you start hearing this crackling noise,” MacAlexander said. “When you get over the reef it sounds like you’re in a giant bowl of Rice Krispies. It’s the barnacles and everything feeding and eating. It’s loud. It’s the sound of marine life.”

All the reefs are designed to be reached by kayak or paddleboard to make them accessible to everyone, even if you don’t own a motorized boat. The snorkel reefs are close enough to swim.

For visitors without equipment, first-timers or anyone looking for a fun, group adventure, some local companies, like Rent Gear Here, offer guided tours to the snorkel reefs.

“A lot of people don’t realize it’s pretty easy to get out there,” said Erika McCracken with Rent Gear Here. “If they can go out at least once with a guided tour, they will feel more comfortable to go out and do it on their own.”

The company’s guides are well-versed in the marine life at the reefs, and explain what is swimming, scuttling or floating by during their tours.

Whether seasoned at snorkeling or diving or just starting out, MacAlexander said the experience is like nothing else.

“It’s the only place on earth that I know of where no other thoughts exist,” he said. “Not your mortgage payment, your kid’s grades, if you left the garage door open. Nothing else but what you see right before your eyes.”

4 Snorkel Reefs:

Good for: snorkeling, free diving

How to Get There: swim, paddleboard, kayak

What You Can See: juvenile species of fish, coral, barnacles

12 Dive Reefs:

Good for: fishing, spear fishing, Scuba diving

How to Get There: paddleboard, kayak, motorized boat

What You Can See: more mature fish, game fish, invertebrates

Note: Fishing permits are required. Licenses can be purchased online by visiting the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission website (myfwc.com) or by visiting the Walton County Tax Collector’s office.

Did someone say, shark? What about the sharks?

Yes, there are sharks in the Gulf of Mexico, and yes, the reefs attract sharks because the reefs attract fish and sharks eat fish. Sharks are beautiful creatures and can be an exciting experience scuba divers and snorkelers.

The International Shark Attack File investigates alleged shark-human interactions occurring worldwide each year and reports that you’re 75 times more likely to be killed by lightning than a shark.

Here's some tips on how to stay safe:

=         If a shark is sighted, stay calm. Most sharks are merely curious and will leave on their own accord. However, if a shark is showing signs of aggression leave the water.

=         Always stay in groups since sharks are more likely to attack a solitary individual.

=         Avoid being in the water during darkness or twilight hours when sharks are most active and have a competitive sensory advantage.

=         Do not enter the water if bleeding--- a shark's olfactory ability is acute.

=         Wearing shiny jewelry is discouraged because the reflected light resembles the sheen of fish scales.

5 Safety Tips

 1. Always have a dive flag whether you are snorkeling or diving. It is not only required by law, but it’s smart.

 2. Always have a flotation device like a kayak, paddle board or even a boogie board. Take something with you just in case you get tired or get a cramp.

 3. Don’t go alone. Bring a partner if at all possible. 

 4. Have a plan, just like with any outdoor activity like hiking or biking. Make sure someone on shore knows your plan.

 5. If the water is rough, don’t go. If it is going to storm, it’s probably not a great time to snorkel or dive.  

Ready to book your next beach vacation and experience adventure on the reefs? View our collection of Destin vacation rentals online or call one of our friendly vacation specialists at 1-800-225-7652.

See you @ the beach! 

*This arrticle was contributed by Lauren Edwards and originally appeared in Where you'd rather Be magazine.  

**Photo credit: Chandler Williams, Modus Photography 

Published on Thursday, June 13, 2019