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,

USS Algol AKA-54

USS Algol reef — The Algol just prior to sinking, November 1991.

Type:: artificial reef, Andromeda class attack transport ( freighter ), U.S. Navy, also known as a "Victory Ship", although often incorrectly referred to as a Liberty Ship
Name:: One of a series of Navy transports named for stars;
Algol is a star in the constellation Perseus, also known as the Demon star.
Built:: 1943, Moore Drydock, Oakland CA USA, as James Barnes
Specs:: ( 459 x 63 ft ) 13910 displacement tons, 429 crew *
* this figure almost certainly includes embarked Marines
Sponsor:: Federal Aid in Sportfish Restoration
Sunk:: Thursday November 22, 1991 - Sea Girt Artificial Reef
GPS:: 40°06.545' -73°41.450'
Depth:: 145 ft +, starts at 70 ft, main deck at 110 ft

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