Wickstrom

The vessel, launched in October 1944 as a freight supply ship at the Brunswick, Georgia shipyard of Brunswick Marine for the U.S. Army Transportation Corps, had a storied history. In 1945, its first skipper was Captain Erle P. Halliburton, the founder of Halliburton. By 1964, the ship was sold to a private company and renamed, a process that repeated in 1966. In 1979, the vessel changed hands twice. Eventually, in 2002, it was purchased by Wickstrom and the Martin County Anglers Club for use as an artificial reef after it had fallen into disrepair and was tied up on the Miami River for several years. Throughout its history, the vessel bore several names: PS-553 in 1944, Sonic 11 in 1964, Tauros in 1966, Apemagu in 1979, and finally Wickstrom in 2002 when it became a dive site. The transformation of the Wickstrom into an artificial reef was a significant event. On January 21, 2003, the ship was intentionally sunk off the coast of Stuart, Florida, with over 50 private boats witnessing the event. This 168-foot coastal freighter, previously known as the “Lady Laura,” “Tauros,” and U.S. Army FS 553, began its new life as a haven for deep-water marine species. The project was led by Karl Wickstrom, founder of Florida Sportsman magazine, and the Martin County Anglers Club, with support from various marine and diving organizations.