Wildwood Artificial Reef

Wildwood Artificial Reef

4.5 Nautical Miles off Wildwood, 2.99 sq miles
Depth: 40-65 ft [download]

Wildwood reef is composed mainly of Army tanks and tire units. ( not shown )




Michael DePalma reef
Type:
artificial reef, barge
Specs:
( 70 x 28 ft )
Sponsor:
Creedon Tug & Barge Works, Friends of Michael DePalma, GDF, Cape May County Party & Charter Boat Association
Sunk:
Tuesday February 27, 1996 - Wildwood Artificial Reef
GPS:
38°56.970' -74°41.337'

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.


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.



Moon Jelly
Moon Jelly - Aurelia aurita

The many creatures on this page are lumped together for the one trait they all have in common - they are all "jelly-like" - soft, gelatinous, and more-or-less transparent. Other than that, they are for the most part completely unrelated. True Jellyfishes, Hydromedusae, and Siphonophores are in the phylum Cnidaria, related to bottom-dwelling Hydroids, Sea Anemones, and corals. Comb Jellies are in the phylum Ctenophora, and are completely unrelated to jellyfishes, as are Sea Butterflies and Corollas, which are mollusks. Salps are free-swimming tunicates, more closely related to us than to any of these other creatures.