Clearwater, Dunedin & Tarpon Springs · United States · Artificial reef
Circle of Heroes
Twelve concrete service members standing in a ring at 12 m
The Circle of Heroes is an underwater memorial to US military veterans, about 16 km (10 miles) off Dunedin Beach in the Gulf of Mexico. A dozen concrete statues of service members, each 1.8 m (6 ft) tall, stand in a circle at 12 m (40 ft). It was dedicated on 5 August 2019 as the first underwater veterans memorial.
Also known as Circle of Heroes Memorial, Circle of Heroes at Veteran’s Reef.
Where it is and how deep
28.0548° N, 83.0029° WApproximate position — the dashed circle shows where the site lies; your operator's briefing has the mooring.
The dive
The boat runs about 16 km (10 miles) out from Dunedin Beach into the Gulf of Mexico. Divers descend to 12 m (40 ft), where the memorial stands on the bottom: 12 concrete statues of US service members, each 1.8 m (6 ft) tall, set out in a circle formation on the floor of the Gulf.
The dive is a slow circuit of the statues, passing each figure in turn at the same 12 m (40 ft) depth, before closing the circle and heading back up. The memorial was dedicated on 5 August 2019 and was the first underwater memorial to military veterans, so the circuit is as much a visit to a monument as a reef dive.
Background
The Circle of Heroes was dedicated on 5 August 2019 as the first underwater veterans memorial. It stands about 16 km (10 miles) off the coast of Dunedin Beach in the Gulf of Mexico, where a dozen concrete statues of US service members, each 1.8 m (6 ft) tall, were placed in a circle at a depth of 12 m (40 ft).
Marine life and season
The sources we used don't single out particular species here.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Good | Good | Good | Good | Good | Fair | Fair | Fair | Fair | Good | Good | Good |
Season follows Clearwater, Dunedin & Tarpon Springs: No month stands out. The water is coolest in January at about 18 °C and warmest in August at about 30 °C; June-September is the wet season.
Dive videos
Circle of Heroes 5/10/26 · Narcosis Scuba on YouTube
Questions divers ask
How deep is the Circle of Heroes memorial?+
The 12 statues stand at a depth of 12 m (40 ft), about 16 km (10 miles) off Dunedin Beach.
When was the Circle of Heroes dedicated?+
The memorial was dedicated on 5 August 2019. It was the first underwater memorial to military veterans.
Sources
- Circle of Heroes Memorial — Scubago
- Circle of Heroes at Veteran’s Reef — Scubago
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