The decommissioned HI-A-389-A gas production platform.
Oil rig structures are the perfect initiators of thalassophobia. This particular rig sits in the East Flower Garden Bank in the Gulf of Mexico. The depth here is 125m, so there’s a roughly 0% chance you can see the bottom. You’re surrounded by a colossal structure disappearing into nothingess.
HI-A-389-A operated from 1981 to 2012. After considerable debate, the fate of the decommissioned platform was decided by the Flower Garden Sanctuary Advisory Council. In 2018, the top portion of the platform and the deck were removed, and the remainder of the structure now serves as an artificial reef.
The platform structure is now covered by a variety of encrusting organisms, including sponges, hydroids and oysters, in turn attracting an abundance of fish and other wildlife. The decommissioned platform now boasts considerable wildlife and has become a popular diving destination and an endless source of thalassophobic entertainment.
