Garden State North Artificial Reef

6.5 Nautical Miles off Harvey Cedars

YO-54 AH Dumont Aqua II Choctaw Coleman II Fatuk Good Times Jerry YW-? "John Dobilas" Mary C Molasses barge

Queen Mary Redbird Subway Cars Shirley Ann VP Pessolano Weeks barge YO-153 "Helis"   Bold indicates off-page listing.

Vessel Number barge 6 tugboat 3 tanker 3 freighter 1 other 2 Total 15

This reef is also scattered with Army tanks, and tire units in the east ( not shown. ) Minimum clearance at mean low water is 50 feet.

Redbird car on the reef

 

Aqua II

Type:

shipwreck, barge, water

Built:

1913, Camden NJ USA

Specs:

( 110 x 30 ft )

Sunk:

Saturday November 7, 1987

Sponsor:

Eklof Marine Co., Marine Trades Assn. of NJ & the Fisherman Magazine

Depth:

80 ft

The pilot house was removed prior to sinking. The Aqua II appears to be more of a schooner barge than a barge, and is certainly the oldest vessel sunk on the Garden State North Artificial Reef.

 

Choctaw

Photo courtesy of  McAllister Towing

Type:

shipwreck, tugboat

Name:

An Indian tribe of south and central Mississippi, later forcibly moved to the Oklahoma territory.

Built:

1966, Brooklyn NY USA (Bushey Yard)

Specs:

( 90 x 24 ft )

Sunk:

Tuesday April 7, 1991

Sponsor:

Spentonbush Red Star Company (Hess Oil),
Beach Haven Marlin & Tuna Club,
Fish America, Atlantic County Reef Society

Depth:

75 ft

intact, semi-upright, surrounded by tire units

A close shave during sinking. Unlike the Spartan, the moveable
pilot house of this canal tug is in the up position.

 

Coleman II

Type:

shipwreck, barge

Specs:

( 60 x 25 ft )

Sunk:

Wednesday June 21, 1995

Sponsor:

Coleman Construction Co., Fish America & the Artificial Reef Association

Depth:

80 ft

 

Fatuk

Type:

shipwreck, freighter

Built:

1963, Japan

Specs:

( 160 x 25 ft )

Sunk:

Thursday October 27, 1988

Sponsor:

US Customs Service, Fish America & Sportfish Fund

Depth:

80 ft

The Fatuk was a Japanese long-line fishing ship, converted from a refrigerated freighter. It was confiscated by the U.S. Customs Service for attempting to smuggle 2000 pounds of marijuana into the country in a freezer.

As is evident in the photo above, the Fatuk went over on her port side. There is no longer any sign of the superstructure, and the vessel has turned over about 135 degrees in total - almost upsidedown.

The rudder and propeller

Looking forward along the starboard bilge keel - the highest point on the wreck

The bow, with a large mooring bit

A distinctive bit of machinery at the break near where the bridge would be

 

Good Times

Making history - the Good Times was the first vessel sunk by the
New Jersey Division of Fish & Wildlife's ( then ) new Artificial Reef Program.

Type:

shipwreck, charter boat

Specs:

( 52 x 14 ft )

Sunk:

Wednesday August 15, 1984

Sponsor:

Depth:

80 ft

The engine was removed and the wooden hull was filled with concrete and tire units. The Good Times broke apart after only a few weeks on the bottom, and is now completely disintegrated. The program has had enormous successes since this first small beginning.

 

Jerry

Type:

shipwreck, tugboat

Built:

1952 Port Arthur TX USA

Specs:

( 42 x 15 ft )

Sunk:

Monday September 15, 1997

Sponsor:

Artificial Reef Association

Depth:

80 ft

 

YW-? "John Dobilas"

Type:

shipwreck, tanker, water, US Navy YW-83 class

Specs:

( 165 x 35 ft )

Sunk:

Tuesday August 20, 1996

Sponsor:

Friends & the McGraw Hill Foundation

Depth:

80 ft

on starboard side, reef also includes 5 tanks

Details on the history of the "John Dobilas" are sketchy.

"John Dobilas" is a twin to the "Mako Mania" and the "Captain Bart".  See construction for more photos of this class of ship.

 

Mary C

Type:

shipwreck, barge, tank

Specs:

( 240 x 38 ft )

Sunk:

Tuesday October 30, 1990

Sponsor:

Eklof Marine Co., Fish America, Atlantic County Reef Society,
Princeton Dive Club, Village Harbor Fishing Club & Fish Hawks

Depth:

80 ft

Side-scan sonar image, showing a great deal of detail

 

"Molasses Barge"

Type:

shipwreck, barge, tank

Specs:

( 250 x 42 ft )

Sunk:

Monday August 17, 1987

Sponsor:

Charlie Bobowicz

Depth:

80 ft

Side-scan sonar image

This barge was actually used to transport molasses from the Caribbean to a New York distillery to make rum. Molasses is a thick syrup by-product from the processing of the sugarcane or sugar beet into sugar.

One of the oldest sites in the reef, the Molasses barge is falling apart and opening up, and the fish love it.

Plumbing and junk

The big notch at the stern, where the nose of a tugboat would fit

 

Queen Mary

Type:

shipwreck, cabin cruiser

Specs:

( 31 x 12 ft )

Sunk:

Saturday April 12, 1986

Sponsor:

Depth:

80 ft

steel hull, engine removed & hull filled with concrete

 

Shirley Ann

Type:

shipwreck, barge

Specs:

( 80 x 28 ft )

Sunk:

Thursday May 9, 1985

Sponsor:

Depth:

80 ft

loaded with tire units prior to sinking

 

"V.P. Pessolano"

Type:

shipwreck, tugboat ( real name withheld by request of donor )

Specs:

( 97 x 27 ft )

Sunk:

Thursday September 29, 1994

Sponsor:

Carbon Service Corp, GDF & the Pessolano family

Depth:

80 ft

surrounded by tire units

Side-scan sonar image of the Pessolano, showing a very nice
sonar shadow of the deckhouse profile.

 

Weeks 218 "Penn Reels Reef"

Type:

shipwreck, barge

Specs:

( 106 x 36 ft )

Sunk:

Wednesday June 21, 1995

Sponsor:

Penn Reels

Depth:

80 ft

This barge was sunk by Navy Seals in a demolitions exercise, and shows large blast holes. The reef also includes 5 tanks.