New Jersey Scuba Diving

Moriches Artificial Reef

Moriches Artificial Reef (historical)

2.4 nautical miles south of Moriches Inlet, 0.54 sq miles
Depth: 70 - 75 ft

Moriches Artificial Reef

Moriches Artificial Reef (now)

Moriches Reef was originally very small, but has been expanded greatly. The pink region is the historical area, and the blue region is the new deployment zone, while the full permitted size of the reef is a 1-nm square that encloses the deployment zone. The misalignment in the northern boundary between old and new is accurate.

This reef is so tiny, some of these spots are probably within sight of each other underwater !

side-scan sonar image of Moriches Reef (old)

M-60 tanks sunk on Moriches Reef off Long Island
video by Dan Berg

Army Tanks

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.

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JJ DPC-19

wheelhouse up - looks a little bizarre

Type:: artificial reef, tugboat
Built:: 1943, Lawley & Sons, Neponset MA USA
Specs:: ( 86 x 24 ft ) 146 GT, 9 crew
Sunk:: Friday November 7, 2003 - Moriches Artificial Reef
Depth:
GPS:: 40°43.470' -72°46.489'

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Two Friends

Type:: artificial reef, trawler, USA
Built:: 1975, Master Marine, Bayou La Bâtre AL USA
Specs:: ( 70 ft ) 147 gross tons
Sunk:: Tuesday October 9, 2001 - Moriches Artificial Reef
Depth:
GPS:: 40°43.480' -72°46.503'

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Cape Fear

Under tow to the reef, with crushed wheelhouse and no masts

Type:: artificial reef, clam dredge
Built:: 1983, James K Walker Marine, Moss Point MS USA
Specs:: ( 112x24 ft ) 188 gross tons
Sunk:: Wednesday March 8, 2000 - Moriches Artificial Reef
Depth:: 75 ft
GPS:: 40°43.505' -72°46.386'

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Bad Bob's Big Boat

Bob's Big Boat reef

Type:: artificial reef, trawler, USA
Built:: 1947, Bath Iron Works, Bath Maine USA
Specs:: ( 144x27 ft ) 393 tons
Sunk:: Wednesday April 17, 2002 - Moriches Artificial Reef
Depth:
GPS:: 40°43.402' -72°46.659

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St George II

Type:: artificial reef, trawler, USA
Built:: 1979, Canaveral Shipbuilding, Cape Canaveral FL
Specs:: ( 97 x 24 ft ) 185GT
Sunk:: Friday March 12, 1999 - Moriches Artificial Reef
Depth:
GPS:: 40°43.439' -72°46.440'

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Artificial Reef Charts, Charts, Dive Sites, Long Island West Dive Sites, New York Artificial Reef Charts, New York Dive Sites,

Lift Bag

lift bag

lift bag

Lift bags are commonly used for recovering heavy objects from the bottom. The bag is simply tied on, inflated from a regulator, and shot to the surface. An often-overlooked use for a lift bag is to get yourself to the surface in a safe manner when you have become lost and can't find the anchor, or if the anchor has pulled out of the wreck. Using your reel as described above, you can shoot a bag directly to the surface and then ascend on the line.

However, under such circumstances, I prefer to get myself off the bottom and up to my decompression or safety stop depth as quickly as possible, and then deploy a bag to the surface using a short length of line attached to the bag for just that purpose. Either way, the bag marks your position for the crew of the dive boat. You should write your name in bold letters on your bag, so you can be identified before you surface. The bag will also keep you from being sucked down to the bottom if there is a strong current. Most lift bags have open bottoms. A bag like this can hit the surface, tip over, and deflate. For self-rescue, as described, you should use a bag with a self-closing bottom.

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