This summer, seven sculptures descended into the choppy waters off the shore of Grayton Beach as the newest additions to the Underwater Museum of Art. The 2024 deployment marks the museum’s sixth installation, bringing the total to 47 sculptures for curious divers to explore.
Supported by the Cultural Arts Alliance of Walton County, South Walton Artificial Reef Association and Walton County Tourism, the museum is the only one of its kind in the nation. Located within one nautical mile of the shore in approximately 58 feet of water, the site also acts as an ecotourism attraction and underwater habitat.
Local marine life populates the sculpture garden and turns it into a living reef. From art and diving enthusiasts to marine biologists and ecologists, the museum attracts a unique blend of visitors. “Having a dive site that grows and changes annually is especially unique,” said Melissa Wheeler, vice president and director of marketing and strategy for Cultural Arts Alliance of Walton County.
The artificial reef created by the artwork allows divers to witness a vibrant ecosystem taking shape beneath the waves, and its development has also sped up significantly over time. According to Wheeler, “more than 3,000 divers have visited the UMA site since its opening in 2018, and as new sculptures are added, the time it takes for the pieces to become encrusted with marine growth has been significantly reduced.”
After the museum’s first installation, it took six to eight months for marine growth to anchor to the sculptures’ surfaces. But with current growth thriving, anchoring now takes only about three weeks as the nutrient-rich habitat continues to attract a variety of marine life.
“Over 100 species have been identified and observed at the site, and there’s even a Kemp’s ridley turtle that is rumored to be a museum resident,” said Wheeler.
The 2024 deployment, featuring work from three local artists, included: Reef Goddess by Raine Bedsole of Santa Rosa Beach; Deep Sea Three by Matthew Gemmell and David Showalter of Baltimore, Maryland; Sea How We Flow by Elise Gilbert of Santa Rosa Beach; Poseidon’s Throne by Nathan Hoffman of Highlandville, Montana; Bubby Barnacles by Donna Conklin King of East Orange, New Jersey; Sunken Spores by Ashley Rivers of Gulfport, Florida; and Ring My Bell by Bradley Touchstone of Santa Rosa Beach.
This year also marked the second livestream of the deployment and the first year of host commentary by Walt Hartley, president of the South Walton Artificial Reef Association. He’s also the operator of Dive30A, which offers dive excursions to the museum. Hartley narrated the deployment, adding insights about the artwork and installation process.
The livestream further emphasized how UMA continues to impact Walton County by adding cultural and environmental significance to an area rich in natural beauty and resources. With the contribution of this year’s talented artists, divers can now experience even more splendor in an underwater space where art and nature converge.
To watch a video of the 2024 deployment livestream, visit www.UMAFL.org/Live-Feed.
For more information about the deployment, including artists’ concepts and bios, or the museum, visit UMAFL.org or VisitSouthWalton.com.