Garden State South Artificial Reef

Garden State South Artificial Reef

5.1 Nautical Miles off Spray Beach, 0.74 sq miles
Depth: 55-65 ft [download]

This reef is also scattered with Army tanks, two boat molds, and tire units in the east. (not shown)



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.



Starcraft reef
Type:
artificial reef, barge
Built:
1936, Port Richmond, NY USA
Specs:
( 150 x 40 ft ) 684 GT
Sponsor:
Eklof Marine, Ocean Wreck Divers club, Artificial Reef Association, Village Harbor Fishing Club
Sunk:
Wednesday May 11, 1994 - Garden State South Artificial Reef
GPS:
39°33.528' -74°06.309'

Ocean Wreck Divers I reef
Type:
artificial reef, MLB-44 patrol boats ( 2 ), US Coast Guard
Built:
1963, Curtis Bay MD USA
Specs:
( 44 x 12 ft ) 20 tons
Sponsor:
Ocean Wreck Divers (USCG 44333)
VHFC - Village Harbor Fishing Club, GDF (USCG 44322)
Depth:
OWD - 60 ft
VHFC - 80 ft
Sunk:
OWD - Tuesday July 11, 1995
VHFC - Tuesday May 16, 1995 - Garden State South Artificial Reef
GPS - OWD:
39°33.426' -74°05.973'
GPS - VHFC:
39°33.496' -74°05.991'

stop

Here is a description of recreational dive planning. The purpose here is to demonstrate basic dive planning and use of Dive Tables for non-divers who are interested in becoming certified but are worried about the complexities and math involved. Learning to use dive tables is usually the single most daunting classroom task for a student diver. It's really not all that hard.

The purpose of dive planning is to manage the Nitrogen gas that is absorbed into the tissues of your body while breathing air at higher-than-normal pressures underwater. If you absorb too much Nitrogen at depth and then ascend to normal atmospheric pressure, the gas will form bubbles in your blood and tissues. This is called Decompression Sickness, commonly known as "the bends." Decompression Sickness can vary in severity from barely noticeable to fatal, depending on your dive profile and other factors. The goal of no-decompression dive planning is to plan your dives in advance so that under no circumstances* can ascending to the surface result in Decompression Sickness.