E. E. Simpson Tug

Located in 20 feet of water, about .5 miles offshore of the old East Pass into the bay, this 93 foot tug is a great site for night diving due to large volumes very diverse marine life. Not much left of the tug or the schooner she was attached to at the time of sinking – but the boiler and engine are visible – often from the surface. The E.E. Simpson gets its name from the founder of the E.E. Simpson Bank of Pensacola. The Simpson went down during a big storm in 1929. It was trying to pull a schooner, the Tecumseh, off the rocks. The storm waves and wind damaged the tug so badly it had to be abandoned by the crew and sank along with the Tecumseh. The area of the site is a very popular one for underwater photography and for local fishermen. Snorkelers can find great shells here as well as spot some of the underwater residents – squid, rays, turtles, stone crabs, tropical fish, baitfish and some predator fish as well – cobia, mackerel, grouper and snapper.

Notes: Good Snorkeling