Dive The BIP Sherman Tug
The BIP Sherman Tug Dive Video
The BIP Sherman Tug History
The BIP/Sherman Tug belonged the Sherman Towing in Panama City/Watson Bayou. Sherman Towing Company was founded in 1959. The tub boat’s history is unremarkable in any way that we know of, other than how it became one of our shipwrecks in Panama City Beach and improved SCUBA diving opportunities for the many local and tourist divers alike.
The Job of The BIP Sherman Tug
The Sherman Tug was one of many local work boats in Panama City performing all types of tug boats tasks over the years. She wound up as a derelict boat in Watson Bayou and was constantly monitored by the Coast Guard and DEP officials for possible issues to the environment and waterways.
The Sinking of The BIP Sherman Tug
Using boating improvement funds (dollars sent back to local counties from state boat registrations), Bay County purchased the tugboat and began the long process of making it environmentally ready to go underwater. In many cases, it can be simple but, this time, it was not. Inspections revealed asbestos that had to be removed and, of course, all fuel and oil contaminants had to go.
Second Life of The BIP Sherman Tug
After many setbacks, everything was finally in order and approved. This wreck had turned into a real “project” but it did decide to cooperate on the last day and settled upright on the bottom in just under eighty feet of water. The BIP-Sherman Tugboat still attracts fish and other aquatic wildlife as well as divers and spearfishermen. Read more on this wreck below from Danny Grizzard, one of the men highly instrumental in sinking this wreck and many others in the waters of Panama City Beach.
Date of Sinking: May 22, 1996
Depth
Length
Beam
Distance
BIP Sherman Tug Coordinates:
29° 55.066’ N – 085° 40.466’ W
Late History Of The BIP Sherman Tug
In May of 1996, a long term local effort finally was rewarded with the sinking of a ninety-foot long steel hulled tugboat. The local reef committee, made up of interested charter fishermen and local dive operators, working with the Bay County Planning Department, had been targeting several local derelict tugboats for years. At one time five different tugs sat in Watson Bayou near the former site of the Sherman towing company. Deteriorating more and more each year. Coast Guard and DEP officials made routine visits to the site.
Using boating improvement funds (dollars sent back to local counties from state boat registrations), Bay County purchased the tugboat and began the long process of making it environmentally ready to go underwater. In many cases, it can be simple but, this time, it was not. Inspections revealed asbestos that had to be removed and, of course, all fuel and oil contaminants had to go.
After many setbacks, everything was finally in order and approved. This wreck had turned into a real “project” but it did decide to cooperate on the last day and settled upright on the bottom in just under eighty feet of water.
