PANAMA CITY, Fla. (WJHG/WECP) – On Thursday afternoon, the famous Black Pearl from the film series Pirates of the Caribbean, starring Johnny Depp, became an artificial reef in Bay County. The 97-foot steel pirate ship became Panama City Beach’s newest Davie Jones’ locker treasure.

The vessel, originally built as a movie prop, was towed from Orange Beach, Alabama, and made its final descent about an hour southwest of St. Andrews Pass. Walter Marine handled the tow and sinking operation. Panama City Beach Convention and Visitors Bureau and Visit Panama City Beach were in charge of the project. Panama City Dive Center was also present to assist in the deployment. The ship is now on the seafloor at approximately 75 feet deep.

“This was designated for a movie prop, so it did not have a lot of the grease buildup, the engine, the fuel, everything that is required to remove for artificial reefs. So this was a prime artificial reef vessel,” said Erin Graham, artificial reef coordinator at Visit Panama City Beach.

Students at Tom P. Haney Technical College welded accessories to the ship before its sinking to make the diving experience interactive for visitors. They added steel flags, cannons, a steering wheel, a treasure chest, and more.

The new reef is expected to boost marine habitat, support ecological health, and attract tourists and divers to the area. Panama City Beach is already home to more than 800 artificial reefs.

The diving site will open to the public starting November 21st for scuba diving, fishing, and other activities. Julie Freudenthal, a diver who was among the first groups to explore the sunken vessel, said the experience was special.

“This being THE black pearl, and I love all Pirates of the Caribbean movies, it was just amazing to be able to dive it and be one of the first groups to dive it,” Freudenthal said.

Artificial reef experts and Visit Panama City Beach staff will monitor the growth of marine life around the ship over the coming weeks.

To stay up to date on all the latest news as it develops, follow WJHG on Facebook, Instagram and X (Twitter).

Have a news tip or see an error that needs correction? Email news@wjhg.com. Please include the article’s headline in your message.

Keep up with all the biggest headlines on the WJHG News app, and check out what’s happening outside using the WJHG Weather app.

Copyright 2025 WJHG. All rights reserved.