Garden State South Artificial Reef

Garden State South Artificial Reef

5.1 Nautical Miles off Spray Beach, 0.74 sq miles
Depth: 55-65 ft [download]

Garden State South Artificial Reef

This reef is also scattered with Army tanks, two boat molds, and tire units in the east. (not shown)


Ocean Wreck Divers I reef
Type:
artificial reef, MLB-44 patrol boats ( 2 ), US Coast Guard
Built:
1963, Curtis Bay MD USA
Specs:
( 44 x 12 ft ) 20 tons
Sponsor:
Ocean Wreck Divers (USCG 44333)
VHFC - Village Harbor Fishing Club, GDF (USCG 44322)
Depth:
OWD - 60 ft
VHFC - 80 ft
Sunk:
OWD - Tuesday July 11, 1995
VHFC - Tuesday May 16, 1995 - Garden State South Artificial Reef
GPS - OWD:
39°33.426' -74°05.973'
GPS - VHFC:
39°33.496' -74°05.991'


Starcraft reef
Type:
artificial reef, barge
Built:
1936, Port Richmond, NY USA
Specs:
( 150 x 40 ft ) 684 GT
Sponsor:
Eklof Marine, Ocean Wreck Divers club, Artificial Reef Association, Village Harbor Fishing Club
Sunk:
Wednesday May 11, 1994 - Garden State South Artificial Reef
GPS:
39°33.528' -74°06.309'

M60 tanks reef
M60 tanks undergo a thorough cleaning before use as reefs

The Artificial Reef Program used four types of obsolete Army armored vehicles as artificial reef materials off the New Jersey coast. These were cleaned at local military bases, loaded onto barges for transport, and pushed off at their final destination. Once the Army had disposed of its excess inventory, the program ceased, around 1999. The Artificial Reef Program has sunk almost 400 tanks altogether, far too many to list them here in this website.




Lionfish

Pterois volitans

Size: to 17", usually smaller

Habitat: turning up all along the East Coast

Notes: venomous spines

This Indo-Pacific scorpionfish has been sighted in the wild in Florida and the Caribbean since the 1990s. In 2000 it began appearing off North Carolina. Two juveniles were found off Long Island in 2002, and in 2003 a two-inch yearling was collected in the Shark River. Of course, this popular pet is sighted daily in public and private aquariums all over the world.