O

utdoor activities are hugely popular in the Pensacola 

community, from the many running clubs that 

regularly pound the pavement to the fi shing 

enthusiasts who line the pier with their poles out and 

lines cast, come rain or come shine. But nothing beats the 

view from the water and the experiences it affords, drawing a 

countless many to its sparkling green waves to explore every 

type of adventure, from glittering surface to deepest depths. 

And for those intrepid adventurers, Pensacola is a playground 

not to be missed.

If you’re a lover of the lower levels, these waters are sure to 

hold an irresistible allure, as the USS Oriskany’s last resting 

place just a short boat jaunt away from Pensacola Pass make it 

a veritable hotbed of marine life, an artifi cial reef whose many 

nooks and crannies are now home to ocean dwellers of all 

kinds. Measuring 872 feet in length, the retired aircraft carrier 

is famously known as “The Great Carrier Reef” is just one of 

the many local artifi cial reefs ready and waiting to be explored 

within these dark depths, making Pensacola Bay a scuba 

diver’s dream come true.

For those a little less daring when it comes to diving in deep, 

snorkeling is an activity greatly enjoyed by young and old 

alike—and so much more so with the installation of public 

artifi cial snorkel reefs just offshore from Pensacola Beach. 

Paddleboard or swim out to the snorkel reef at Park East 

snorkel on Pensacola Beach, then mask-up for an excursion or 

go all in and dive through the waters of this snorkel reef located 

1.4 miles east of Portofi no Island Resort. Just a bit further 

down the beach, the Pensacola Bay Snorkel Reef is home to 

marine life from fi sh to turtles and everything in between—the 

perfect sight to see in action through the mask of your snorkel 

gear as they swim along happily in the protected waters near 

the Fort Pickens gate.

The words, “Surf’s up!” might not mean quite the same 

thing here on the Gulf as they do in surfi ng destinations like 

Hawaii and California. But even with our less-than-awe-

inspiring swells, the waters of Pensacola still offer plenty of 

opportunity for those whose boards are in need of a good 

rip. On days when the Gulf is truly worthy of hanging ten, 

however, the perfect conditions caused by a passing cool 

front bring offshore winds that force the waves to rise and 

swell, drawing 

surfers to the 

Pensacola Gulf 

Pier like moths 

to a fl ame with 

board in hand 

as they ready 

themselves 

to calm their 

craving for the 

curl.

story by

 

Liesel Schmidt

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INE

ADVENTURE

72     |    VIPPensacola.com

photo 

pr

ovided 

by 

Visit Pensacola

photo provided by 

Visit Pensacola

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