New Jersey Scuba Diving

Type:

artificial reef, purse seiner, formerly Navy patrol craft

Built:

1943, Albina Engine & Machine Works, Portland OR USA

Specs:

( 185 x 33 ft ) 850 tons

Sunk:

Saturday, Jan 16, 2010 - DelJerseyLand Artificial Reef

GPS:

38°31.063' -74°30.271'

Depth:

100 ft

The Atlantic Mist, formerly PCE-880 / USS Ely was laid down August 12, 1943 by the Albina Engine and Machine Works, Portland, Oregon, launched October 27, 1943, commissioned USS PCE-880, 29 April 1944. Named Ely February 15, 1956.

Placed in service in August 1947 as a Naval Reserve training vessel assigned to the 9th Naval District (Great Lakes.) Struck from the Naval Register July 1, 1970, and transferred September 3, 1970, to the State of Maine, Southern Maine Vocational Technical Institute, South Portland, ME and renamed R/V Aqualab II.

Sold in 1972 to Kirks Marine Enterprise, Inc. of Dover, DE, and converted to a menhaden (purse-seiner) fishing boat. Sold in 1975 to Norman Industries, Inc. of Lafayette, LA. Acquired in 1978 by Standard Products Co., Inc. of Kilmarnock, VA and renamed Atlantic Mist. Acquired in 1989 by Ampro Fisheries, Inc. of Burgess, VA. Acquired by Omega Protein, Inc. of Moss Point, MS.

The Patrol Craft Escort was a World War II naval ship that was intended as a coastal and convoy escort. It was derived from the 180-foot Admirable-class minesweeper ( see Gregory Poole ) as a substitute for the 173-foot PC-461-class submarine chaser that was used for anti-submarine warfare (ASW) in coastal areas. At 185 feet long and 640 tons, the PCE was more than twice the displacement of the PC. It had a crew complement of 99 officers and men.

IMO 7534347