Diving the Blackthorn: The Story Behind a Tragic Shipwreck

The Blackthorn is more than just another wreck dive. It carries a powerful story. In this video, I explore the wreck of the USCGC Blackthorn, a Coast Guard buoy tender that tragically sank after a collision in 1980, resulting in the loss of 23 lives. What now rests on the bottom as an artificial reef was once part of a devastating moment in Coast Guard history. In this dive, I wanted to not only show the wreck itself, but also tell some of the story behind it. You’ll see the structure of the wreck, marine life moving through it, and some of the eerie calm that surrounds a site with so much history beneath the surface. Dive Log Location: Blackthorn Wreck, off Clearwater, Florida Max Depth: 78.9 ft Avg Depth: 60.6 ft Bottom Time: 43 min Start Time: 11:27 AM End Time: 12:11 PM Water Temp: 84.2–86°F Gas: Nitrox 29% O2 Starting Pressure: 3056 PSI Ending Pressure: 1228 PSI SAC Rate: 14.73 PSI/min Deco Stress: 71% If you enjoy wreck diving, scuba diving, Florida dive sites, underwater exploration, and shipwreck history, make sure to subscribe and come along for the next adventure. Above the Surface. Below the Reef. Tide & Tackle #Blackthorn #ShipwreckDive #WreckDiving #ScubaDiving #FloridaDiving #CoastGuard #ArtificialReef #UnderwaterExploration #TideAndTackle