New Jersey Scuba Diving

Type:

artificial reef, fleet tugboat, cutter

Built:

1943, Commercial Iron Works, Portland, OR, as USS Zuni AT-95

Specs:

( 205 x 38 ft ) 1,235 tons (light)

Sunk:

Wednesday, May 10, 2017 - DelJerseyLand Artificial Reef

GPS:

38°31.144' -74°30.747'

Depth:

125 ft

Tamaroa was originally US Navy fleet tug Zuni, AT-95 ( Attack Tugboat? ) A fleet tug is a fully ocean-going vessel with the speed and range to go with the fleet wherever that takes it. For Zuni, that was the South Pacific, where she served in operations in the Marianas - Saipan and Guam, the Philipines and China, Caroline Islands - Palau and Peleliu, and Iwo Jima.

USS Zuni was transferred to the Coast Guard in 1946, becoming USCGC Tamaroa WAT-166, later WMEC-166, a Medium Endurance Cutter. She served on the East Coast until 1994 and was a central figure in the book and movie "The Perfect Storm" ( although another vessel played her in the movie. )

Efforts in Portsmouth VA to preserve the Tamaroa as a museum ship were well underway in 2012 when a leak in the engine room sank her, causing a collapsed bulkhead as well. More leaks and were found, and the effort had to be abandoned - the old hull had deteriorated beyond any reasonable repair. It was decided to use the famous ship as an artificial reef rather than scrap it outright.