Deepwater Artificial Reef ~ New Jersey Scuba Diving

Deepwater Artificial Reef

23.6 Nautical Miles off Ocean City
Depth: 90-125 ft

Deepwater reef is not particularly deep, with an average depth of about 120 ft. Shark River Reef is deeper. Deepwater is, however, the furthest-offshore reef - 23 miles out.

This reef also contains tire units and 50 subway cars, in five groups of ten cars each. A small controversy erupted when it turned out that several of the cars landed near an old shipwreck, marked on the chart as 'paddlewheeler'. The wreck in question was an uncharted "secret" known only to a few captains, and in any case, no harm was done. The subway cars are not plotted because they are assumed to be gone after 20 years.

The Civil War-era wreck of the Admiral DuPont is also inside the boundaries of the reef. This site was a closely guarded secret when the reef was planned.

Building a reef 23 miles offshore serves no one. It is a 2-hour drive for a typical dive boat, less for a faster fishing boat, but still a tremendous fuel cost. From the total lack of fishing and diving reports, it is clear this reef site is little used, except perhaps by a select few with money to burn. I look at the vessels below, and all I can think is 'what a shame'. They should have been sunk where people will use them.

This site is not only impractical for fishing and diving - what construction company wants to waste fuel and time hauling material all the way out here? There is no new 'science' here either - reef ecology has been well-studied, and can continue to be studied at other more practical sites.

I applaud New Jersey's artificial reef program, just not this site. Artificial reef-building is a great business that serves everyone ( and the fish ) when it is done right. But siting a reef out where no one will use it is not right.

Mantank

Type:: artificial reef, barge
Built:: 1950, Wilmington, DE USA
Specs:: ( 224 x 38 ft )
Sponsor:: BassBarn.com, Ann E Clark Foundation, PSE&G Habitat Restoration Fund
Sunk:: Thursday Sept 5, 2002 - Deepwater Artificial Reef
GPS:: 39°58.688' -74°11.410'
Depth:: 120 ft

More: Mantank ...

AJ McAllister

Type:: artificial reef, tugboat
Built:: 1939, Slidell LA as Rowen Card
Specs:: ( 106 x 26 ft ) 263 tons
Sponsor:: Ann E Clark Foundation
Dedication:: Ann E Clark
Sunk:: Thursday Sept 25, 2003 - Deepwater Artificial Reef
GPS:: 39°58.004' -74°10.721'

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Admiral DuPont

Type:: shipwreck, steamer, USA
Built:: 1847, England, as Anglia
Specs:: ( 195 x 28 ft ) 750 gross tons, 50 passengers & crew
Sunk:: Thursday June 8, 1865
collision with ship Stadacona - 17 casualties
Depth:: 150 ft

More: Admiral DuPont ...

caisson

Type:: artificial reef, drydock gate
Specs:: ( 150 ft )
Sunk:: Friday June 8, 2020 - Deepwater Artificial Reef
GPS:: 39°58.300' -74°10.900'
Depth:: 125 ft

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Redbird Subway Cars

Type:: 250 "Redbird" subway cars - NYC Subway system - steel bodies / frames
Built:: 1959-1960 - American Car & Foundry - Model R26 # 7750-7859
1960-1961 - American Car & Foundry - Model R28 # 7860-7959
1962-1963 - St. Louis Car - Model R29 # 8570-8805
1962-1963 - St. Louis Car - Model R33 # 8806-9345
1963-1964 - St. Louis Car - Model R36 # 9346-9769
Specs:: ( 51 x 9 ft ) 15,000 to 18,000 pounds (body)
Sunk:: 50 cars - Cape May Reef on July 3, 2003
50 cars - Deepwater Reef on July 16, 2003
50 cars - Atlantic City Reef on July 25, 2003
50 cars - Garden State North Reef on Sept 3, 2003
50 cars - Shark River Reef on Oct 14, 2003
619 cars - Delaware Reef 11 from Aug 2001 to Nov 2003
Sponsor:: New York City Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA)
anti- Sponsor:: Environmental group Clean Ocean Action lobbied aggressively and almost successfully to prevent the use of these subway cars as artificial reefs in New Jersey, resulting in most of the cars going to other states.
GPS:: too many to list, and all gone anyway
Depth:: Depths vary by location between 80 ft and 130 ft.