New Jersey Scuba Diving

Early New Jersey Artificial Reefs

Dykes

These seven sites on the Sea Girt Artificial Reef predate the state-run reef program:

Sea Girt Artificial Reef

Informal reef-building took place all along the coast for decades, but these are the only sites for which records exist.

Carlson II

Carlson II reef

Type:: artificial reef, trawler
Specs:: ( 70 ft )
Sponsor:: Axel Carlson Jr.
Sunk:: June 1973 - Sea Girt Artificial Reef
GPS:: 40°06.805' -73°57.176'
Depth:: 70 ft

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Cinderella

Cinderella reef

Type:: artificial reef, trawler
Built:: 1964, DESCO Marine, St. Augustine FL ?
Specs:: ( 70 ft )
Sunk:: Tuesday March 15, 1983 - Sea Girt Artificial Reef
Sponsor:: Artificial Reef Committee
GPS:: 40°06.777' -73°56.860'

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Cranford

Cranford reef — In life, July 1939. At this time, CRRNJ ferries were painted overall dark green. Notice how it says MEN on one side and WOMEN on the other.

Type:: artificial reef, ferry, Central Railroad of New Jersey, USA
( sometimes incorrectly identified as a barge )
Name:: All CRRNJ ferries were named for New Jersey towns - Lakewood, Bound Brook, Red Bank, Plainfield, Elizabeth, Wilkes Barre, Cranford, Somerville, Westfield, and Bound Brook
Built:: 1905, Harlan & Hollingsworth, Wilmington DE USA
Specs:: ( 191 x 44 ft ) 1197 tons
Sponsor:: Ashley Development Corporation
Sunk:: Tuesday March 30, 1982 - Sea Girt Artificial Reef
GPS:: 40°07.447' -73°56.227'
Depth:: 70 ft

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drydock

Drydock reef

Type:: artificial reef, drydock barge
Specs:: ( 100 ft )
Sunk:: February 1979 - Sea Girt Artificial Reef
Sponsor:: Artificial Reef Committee
Depth:: 75 ft
GPS:: 40°07.759' -73°56.384'

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Dykes

Dykes reef

Type:: artificial reef, schooner barge, USA
( The small smokestack in the pictures is for an electrical generator. )
Built:: 1919, Union Shipbuilding, Baltimore MD USA
Specs:: ( 306 x 35 ft ) 2072 tons, 14 crew
Sponsor:: Modern Transportation Co.
Sunk:: July 1983 - Sea Girt Artificial Reef
GPS:: 40°06.964' -73°57.571'
Depth:: 65 ft

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Kiley B

Kiley B reef

Type:: artificial reef, trawler
Specs:: ( 75 ft )
Sunk:: June 1983 - Sea Girt Artificial Reef
Sponsor:: Artificial Reef Committee
GPS:: 40°06.540' -73°56.827'
Depth:: 70 ft

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railroad barge

Railroad Barge reef — Side-scan sonar image

Type:: artificial reef, barge
Specs:: ( 200 ft )
Sunk:: 1977 - Sea Girt Artificial Reef
Sponsor:: Artificial Reef Committee, Weeks Marine Co.
GPS:: 40°06.986' -73°56.868'
Depth:: 70 ft

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Artificial Reefs, New Jersey Artificial Reefs,

u05 - AWOIS 7940

H10224/86-88 -- OPR-C121-WH-86-88; SIDE-SCAN SONAR AND DIVER INVESTIGATION OF CONTACT SHOWING DEFINITE WRECK CHARACTERISTICS; DIVERS FOUND A DETERIORATED WOODEN VESSEL WITH ROTTED WOODEN DECK PLANKING WHICH WAS MOSTLY SILTED OVER BY SAND; ONLY LARGE DECK TIMBERS REMAIN; NO MACHINERY FOUND; RIBS WERE OBSERVED RISING UP OFF THE BOTTOM ALONG THE EASTERN SIDE OF WRECK; DIVER GAUGE LEAST DEPTH TAKEN ON TOWING BITS AT THE NORTHERN END OF WRECK; LARGE DECK TIMBERS WERE SEEN ON WESTERN SIDE OF WRECK; 50 FT SW OF MAIN WRECKAGE, DIVERS FOUND WHAT APPEARS TO BE A PORTION OF THE SAME WRECK, RUNNING NW-SE, WOODEN RAIL-LIKE TIMBERS STICKING UP OFF THE BOTTOM 6-8 INCHES; ALSO APPEARS TO BE DETERIORATED; ON SECOND DIVE, A PILE WAS DISCOVERED ABOUT HALFWAY DOWN THE WRECK AND A PNEUMATIC DEPTH GAUGE LEAST DEPTH OF 46 FT WAS TAKEN ON IT; BEAM MEASURED 40 FT; LENGTH WAS 120 FT. (ENTERED MSD 4/91)

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