08/13/2026
The public is invited to ride aboard the Party Boat DESTIN PRINCESS to bear witness to the deployment of the Charlie Kirk Reef Memorial at no cost. The boat is limited to 41 passengers. We respectfully ask that you tip the crew at least $20 per person if you are able. Check-in at noon to leave the dock at 12:30 on Wednesday, August 19, 2026. Book online at www.destinpartyboatfishing.com. The ride over is about an hour, plus the deployment time, then an hour back. Sorry, no fishing on this trip today.
DETAILS and photo provided by the Destin Log:
Charlie Kirk Memorial Reef Deployment in Destin
Destin, Florida, is honoring Christian activist Charlie Kirk with a Charlie Kirk Memorial Reef, a large-scale artificial reef designed to both memorialize him and support local marine life.
Purpose and Design
The reef was created by Captain Mike Parker and his Destin High School fishing class, who initiated the project as a community tribute. It is not a traditional statue but a “super reef” — about 15–18 feet tall and weighing over 15 tons bluewaterhealthyliving.com. The structure is pyramid-shaped, with his name, the Turning Point USA logo, a microphone with the words “prove me wrong,” and the phrases God, Country, Faith, Family, and Freedom inscribed on it bluewaterhealthyliving.com. Crosses, U.S. flags, and the name “Jesus” are also embedded in the concrete First Coast News.
Construction and Deployment
The reef was built at Walter Marine in Orange Beach, Alabama, and assembled on October 14, 2025 — Kirk’s 31st birthday — with help from nine Okaloosan and Walton County residents First Coast News. The concrete was reinforced with fossilized clam shells and coral from Perry, Florida, to mimic natural reef habitats and attract fish First Coast News. Inside the main reef is a smaller “ecosystem” reef to draw more marine life First Coast News.
Once complete, the reef will stand about 25 feet tall when an amberjack pole is added to the top First Coast News. It will be deployed about two miles off Henderson Beach in Destin in late November or early December 2025 First Coast News.
Community Involvement
The project is community-driven, with donations raised to cover costs. Items like signs, memorabilia, and natural reef materials were placed into the structure during construction First Coast News. The reef’s design reflects both Kirk’s public identity and his personal beliefs, with the reef itself serving as a lasting tribute and a habitat for marine life.
In short, the Charlie Kirk Memorial Reef is a unique blend of memorial art and ecological enhancement, meant to honor Kirk’s life while benefiting Destin’s fishing and marine communities.