Artificial Reefs (21/28)

Artificial Reefs

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SS United States Finally Leaves Philadelphia to Begin Its Last Chapter

By Forrest Brown and Danny Freeman, CNN
Wed February 19, 2025

The storied ocean liner SS United States leaves its Philadelphia pier in the Delaware River on Wednesday. From SS United States Conservancy/Facebook

After months of multiple delays, the SS United States finally left its longtime home of Philadelphia just before 1 p.m. ET Wednesday. The storied ocean liner's next stop is Mobile, Alabama, where it will be prepared for its final mission - to become an artificial reef off the coast of the Florida Panhandle. The American maritime icon, nearly as large as the Chrysler Building, was launched in 1951 and set the transatlantic speed record in 1952.




Response reef
Type:
artificial reef, buoy tender
Built:
1969, Curtis Bay MD USA ?
Specs:
( 46 ft ) 37 GT
Sunk:
Tuesday January 8, 2008 - Sea Girt Artificial Reef
GPS:
40°07.931' -73°56.373'


rock reef
A hopper barge full of rock

All manner of concrete, steel, and stone rubble from dredging, demolition projects, and other construction is used as artificial reef materials. This material is generally available at very low cost or free from construction companies who are more than happy to get rid of it. Transportation costs determine where this material is used by the Reef Program.


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 similar rockpile is located in shallower water on the Axel Carlson Reef.



Ronde Joyce II reef
Type:
artificial reef, tugboat
Built:
1941, ? Pascagoula MS USA ?
Specs:
( 62 x 17 ft )
Sponsor:
Coffey, Graybowski, Clark's Landing Marina, Mercury Marine
Sunk:
Thursday August 5, 1993 - Sea Girt Artificial Reef
GPS:
40°06.486' -73°57.224'
Depth:
65 ft

Rothenbach I reef
Type:
artificial reef, barge, fuel oil, US Navy
Built:
1944, DeKom SB, Brooklyn NY USA
Specs:
( 165 x 35 ft ) 220 tons (empty) 1270 displacement tons (full)
Sponsor:
Rothenbach & Cape May County Party & Charter Boat Association
Sunk:
Wednesday June 11, 1997 - Cape May Artificial Reef
GPS:
38°53.368' -74°39.800'


Purple Sea Urchin

Arbacia punctulata

Size: to 3"

Sea Urchins may be found on any solid structure, from tidal rocks to deep wrecks, although in our region they are more common in shallow estuarine waters than offshore.

This animal is related to the starfish, and shares many of its traits, with one exception. Starfish are predators, feeding upon clams and mussels, while these sea urchins are strict vegetarians. I once ordered Sea Urchin at a sushi bar, but I never even tasted it, it smelled so bad. Nonetheless, it is a delicacy in much of the far east. Unlike tropical black urchins, our northern ones are not poisonous, and the spines are not even particularly sharp.