Shark River Artificial Reef

Shark River Artificial Reef

15.6 Nautical Miles off Manasquan
Depth: 120-140 ft

Shark River Artificial Reef

The Shark River reef is tucked into a corner between the Mud Hole and the Barnegat shipping lane, which happens to be in close proximity to the wreck of the Stolt Dagali. It has a minimum depth for navigational purposes of 50 ft ( 8 fathoms ) at mean low water. Shark River is the deepest of all New Jersey reef sites, with an average bottom depth of 125 ft, although scour holes around larger vessels may be much deeper.

Shark River Reef depths

I have omitted the Redbirds from the chart, as they are no longer there. There were two clusters in the mud at the southern end of the reef, and one cluster atop the rock ridge at the northern end. Those are the cars in the pictures below.

Take a submarine trip around the Shark River Reef via side-scan sonar

Side-scan sonar animation courtesy of Army Corps of Engineers

This reef got off to a big start, with three tankers sunk in one day - the Coney Island first, and then the "twins" Sam Berman and Alan Martin. The Shark River Reef is often referred to as "The Parking Lot" by charter boat operators. In addition to the vessels shown, the Shark River Reef also contains a great deal of rock and rubble.

Side-scan sonar mosaic of the Shark River Reef

Side-scan sonar mosaic of the Shark River Reef, showing the partially-built rock ridges along the top, the Coney Island at lower right, and the massive Algol at the center, along with various other wrecks and concrete drops. The Captain Bart is visible just below the rock ridges, the APL-31 is NNW of the Algol, and the Alan Martin / Sam Berman duo is NW of the Coney Island. The tiny HRFA is just a speck among the concrete mounds, and the Mako Mania is visible south of the Algol.

Mosaic image courtesy of SAIC.

Sam Berman and Alan Martin reefs
The Sam Berman ( right ) and the Alan Martin ( left ) together.
Not quite twins.
Sam Berman and Alan Martin reefs
Alan Martin ( left ) and Sam Berman ( right ) under tow.

Alan Martin reef
Type:
artificial reef, tanker, US Navy, YO-20 class
Built:
1918, New York NY USA, as YO-31
Specs:
( 161 x 25 ft ) 335 tons light, 911 tons full-load
Sponsor:
Crystal Oil Corporation, Marine Trades Assn. of NJ, Fisherman Magazine
Sunk:
Thursday September 10, 1987 - Sea Girt Artificial Reef
GPS:
40°06.440' -73°41.130'
Depth:
125 ft

rock ridge

This site on the Shark River Artificial Reef consists of two long ridges of seven huge rock piles each, with one long valley east-west between them. Between piles, there are smaller valleys. Each ridge contains approximately two million tons ( or one million cubic yards ) of granite, blasted and dredged from the bottom of New York harbor between September 2002 and September 2003. Peak depths range from 85 to 105 ft, bottom depth is 130 ft. In addition, 15 Redbird subway cars were deposited on or near one of the piles. A single similar rockpile is located in shallower water on the Axel Carlson Reef.



Coney Island reef
Type:
artificial reef, tanker, sludge
Built:
1938, Staten Island NY USA
Specs:
( 250 x 40 ft )
Sponsor:
Crystal Oil Corporation, Marine Trades Assn. of NJ, Fisherman Magazine
Sunk:
Thursday September 10, 1987 - Sea Girt Artificial Reef
GPS:
40°06.285' -73°41.365'
Depth:
125 ft, starts at 80 ft

Sam Berman reef
Type:
artificial reef, tanker
Built:
1947, Brooklyn NY USA as Philip Lemler
Specs:
( 160 x 30 ft ) 478 tons
Sponsor:
Crystal Oil Corporation, Marine Trades Assn. of NJ, Fisherman Magazine
Sunk:
Thursday September 10, 1987 - Sea Girt Artificial Reef
GPS:
40°06.440' -73°41.180'
Depth:
125 ft

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; 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
15.6 Nautical Miles off Manasquan
Depth: 120-140 ft
Stolt Dagali Captain Bart Steven McAllister APL-31      Mako Mania  Billy D     Coney Island USS Algol   San Berman  Alan Martin

Ocean Wreck Divers I reef
Type:
artificial reef, MLB-44 patrol boats ( 2 ), US Coast Guard
Built:
1960s, MD USA
Specs:
( 44 x 12 ft ) 20 tons
Sponsor:
Ocean Wreck Divers
VHFC - Village Harbor Fishing Club, GDF
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'

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