Pod Diver Radio: The Scuba-cast

Episode 234 of PDR 3.0: POD DIVER RADIO, host Joe Cocozza takes you to the show floor at DEMA in Orlando for a live presentation by Alex Fogg, Chief of the Okaloosa County Natural Resources team. Alex walks us through how Destin–Fort Walton Beach, Florida has turned decommissioned vessels into a world-class artificial reef program—and why their newest project, sinking the legendary SS United States, is about to create the largest artificial reef in the world. You'll hear the full story arc of the SS United States: from record-breaking transatlantic ocean liner, to asbestos-ridden "ghost ship" tied up in Philadelphia, to a carefully remediated, 1,000-foot artificial reef planned for ~180 feet of water in the Florida Panhandle. Alex breaks down the environmental cleanup, Coast Guard and EPA approvals, and $10.1M project budget, plus the nerve-wracking tow under the Walt Whitman Bridge and the final site selection about 21 miles offshore of Destin–Fort Walton Beach. Along the way, you'll also learn how Okaloosa