Stuart Scuba Diver Completes First Survey of Newly Sunk Freighter “Borocho” Off Stuart Coast

Nikki Hadfield Nov 20, 2025

Stuart Scuba Diver Completes First Survey of Newly Sunk Freighter “Borocho” Off Stuart Coast

STUART, Fla. — The former cargo vessel Borocho, a 69.1-meter freighter seized in a 2014 U.S. Coast Guard cocaine interdiction, was sunk Tuesday approximately nine nautical miles off the St. Lucie Inlet to create Martin County’s newest artificial reef. Local diver Benjamin Hadfield, owner of Stuart Scuba, conducted the first post-sinking survey dive and successfully recovered two cameras that had been mounted to document the vessel’s descent.

The ship, built in 1977 at Honda Heavy Industries in Saiki, Japan, was prepared for reefing through a Florida Fish & Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) program that funded approximately $500,000 in remediation and cleaning. The vessel is now designated as the Boo McCulley Reef, named in honor of longtime Martin County reef advocate John “Boo” McCulley.

Sinking Operation

FWC and Martin County officials towed the Borocho to the deployment site early on Nov. 18. After being positioned over a sandy bottom in roughly 180 feet of water, crews opened the sea chests and additional cutouts to initiate controlled flooding.

The sinking took slightly more than two hours. According to observers, the ship initially listed to starboard before righting itself shortly before it fully submerged at approximately 1:20 p.m.

Local media, private boaters, and environmental staff monitored the process. The sinking was part of Martin County’s ongoing artificial reef program, which has deployed more than 60 reefs since the 1970s.

Camera Placement and Pre-Sinking Inspection

Two weeks before deployment, Martin County officials requested that Stuart Scuba assist with documentation of the vessel’s interior before sinking and with post-deployment verification.

On Tuesday morning, Benjamin Hadfield, along with Stuart Scuba media specialist Everett Robinson, deck crew member Christopher Robinson, and Captain Colby of Sea Tow, boarded the Borocho ahead of scuttling. Under the guidance of salvage engineer Frank Leckey, the team conducted a full video walkthrough of the ship, including the engine room, crew quarters, captain’s cabin, wheelhouse, and cargo hold.

Hadfield mounted one 360 camera inside the center bridge window and another on the port bow. Both were intended to provide visual records of flooding, listing, and descent.

First Dive Attempt

Benjamin began the first dive shortly after the ship was confirmed on the seafloor. Diving on open-circuit twin 117 steel cylinders with 21/50 trimix and two decompression gases (50/10 and 80), he planned for a maximum operational depth of 210 feet.

Although surface conditions were calm, a strong subsurface current—estimated at up to three knots—carried Hadfield off course. Visibility remained approximately 70 feet with water temperature around 76°F at depth, but he did not locate the wreck and terminated the dive after reaching 180 feet and 15 minutes of bottom time.

Second Dive and Wreck Location

After a surface interval of approximately 50 minutes, the team redeployed. Hadfield entered the water at 3 p.m. and followed a revised heading based on drift estimates from Captain Colby.

Hadfield reported encountering small, rising exhaust bubbles in the water column at about 90 feet, which he used as a reference. He located the wreck shortly afterward at a depth of approximately 160 feet.

According to his survey, the Borocho came to rest on her starboard side, oriented roughly 40 degrees off the expected north-south axis. The port rail sits at approximately 150 feet, with the deepest surveyed point near the stern measuring 177 feet.

Camera Recovery and Structural Assessment

Hadfield located both pre-installed cameras. One had shifted by one bridge window from its original mounting point, likely during descent, but remained intact. The bow-mounted unit was also recovered without damage.

During his 20-minute bottom time, Hadfield conducted a visual assessment of the wreck, noting:

Stable position on the starboard side
Intact bridge structure
Fully accessible port-side tower area
Good initial visibility
Very minor exterior deformation consistent with controlled sinking

He completed decompression over approximately 30 minutes before surfacing.

Program Significance

FWC representatives indicated that the Borocho will serve as a long-term artificial reef intended to enhance regional fish habitat, support sport fishing, and provide a technical-level dive site.

The Boo McCulley Reef joins eight other large vessels sunk by Martin County since 2018 and contributes to the more than 4,400 artificial reefs deployed statewide since the 1940s.

About the Diver

Benjamin Hadfield, owner, Stuart Scuba • Technical Diving Instructor Trainer

Benjamin Hadfield is the owner and technical diving instructor trainer at Stuart Scuba, where he has built one of Florida’s most respected inclusive open-water through technical diving programs, which also include adaptive diving. This work blends exploration with stewardship: focusing on ecology and the ocean environment while supporting county reef programs, and helping expand access to the ocean for all individuals who desire exploration and diving to new and exciting depths. Benjamin also takes pride in assisting those with physical, cognitive, and emotional challenges in finding their path in diving and enjoying the same joy in diving as anyone else.

When Martin County needed a diver capable of installing cameras on a 227-foot freighter, then retrieving them at depth after a high-energy sinking, they called Stuart Scuba and Benjamin.

He believes in one simple truth:

The sea is our everything. Our job is to listen.