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,

Collecting Live Specimens

net

slurp gun

A different sort of hunting is "bring 'em home alive". An aquarium can be a fascinating way to observe and photograph marine life, especially when the weather or season is not conducive to diving. Freshwater aquariums are easier to set up and maintain, especially for the novice, and a number of the local species of Sunfish are as attractive as anything you can buy in a store.

Butterfly Fish

Marine aquariums are more difficult but offer many more possibilities in what you can keep - the marine environment contains many types of invertebrates and fishes that are simply not present in freshwater, such as horseshoe crabs, starfish, anemones, urchins, and many more. Many of these creatures can simply be picked up at low tide. When collecting stinging creatures such as anemones, keep them in strict solitary confinement during transport, or they will sting everything else to death, including each other. Once established in an aquarium, they are not usually a problem, as the other critters quickly learn to stay away.

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