Great Egg Artificial Reef

7.2 Nautical Miles off Atlantic City
Depth: 50-70 ft
Rothenbach II

Great Egg Artificial Reef

This reef is composed largely of Army tanks and tire units ( not shown ) and concrete castings. Minimum clearance at mean low water is 40 feet.

Great Egg Artificial Reef


rock reef
A hopper barge full of rock

All manner of concrete, steel, and stone rubble from dredging, demolition projects, and other construction is used as artificial reef materials. This material is generally available at very low cost or free from construction companies who are more than happy to get rid of it. Transportation costs determine where this material is used by the Reef Program.


M60 tanks reef
M60 tanks undergo a thorough cleaning before use as reefs

The Artificial Reef Program used four types of obsolete Army armored vehicles as artificial reef materials off the New Jersey coast. These were cleaned at local military bases, loaded onto barges for transport, and pushed off at their final destination. Once the Army had disposed of its excess inventory, the program ceased, around 1999. The Artificial Reef Program has sunk almost 400 tanks altogether, far too many to list them here in this website.


fish anatomy

Fins come in a bewildering assortment of designs. Options include long, short, vented, solid, soft, hard, open-heel, full-foot, and a wide range of specious do-dads, most of which solve problems that I cannot confirm even exist. One manufacturer has even come out with fins that are left and right, something that I think must be truly bothersome while gearing up.

The fact is, most fin designs simply miss the mark for New Jersey divers. What is needed here is a solid, tough fin with a generous foot pocket that will hold not just your foot, but also whatever bulky thing your foot is in. This will be at least a 6mm booty, if not a drysuit boot with perhaps several pairs of socks underneath. Simple solid buckles with quick releases are essential. You will be amazed at how strongly your fins may stick onto your feet at the end of a dive. Small vents in the toe of the foot pocket help here, to break the vacuum.

Printed from njscuba.net