Delaware Artificial Reef Sites (1/4) ~ New Jersey Scuba Diving

Delaware Artificial Reef Sites (1/4)

Delaware Artificial Reefs (and a few New Jersey reefs)

USS Blenny
Buchannon barge
Cape Henlopen Buoy
Golden Eagle
P3/Dolphin
pilot boat

More: Delaware Artificial Reefs ...

1 2 3 4

American Glory

Type:: artificial reef, mini-liner
Built:: 2002, Chesapeake Shipbuilding, Salisbury, MD USA
Specs:: ( 174 x 39 ft ) 1,267 gross tons
Sunk:: Monday, November 4, 2019 - Delaware #11 Artificial Reef
GPS:: 38°40.474' -74°43.726'
Depth:: 80 ft

More: American Glory ...

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.

More: Army Tanks ...

Atlantic Mist PCE-880

Type:: artificial reef, purse seiner, formerly Navy patrol craft
Built:: 1943, Albina Engine & Machine Works, Portland OR USA
Specs:: ( 185 x 33 ft ) 850 tons
Sunk:: Saturday, Jan 16, 2010 - DelJerseyLand Artificial Reef
GPS:: 38°31.063' -74°30.271'
Depth:: 100 ft

More: Atlantic Mist PCE-880 ...

Bay Tide

Type:: artificial reef, tugboat
Built:: 1958, Gulfport Shipbuilding, Port Arthur, TX, as Margaret C
Specs:: ( 110 ft )
Sunk:: Tuesday Jan 30, 2009 - Delaware #11 Artificial Reef
GPS:: 38°40.540' -74°43.957'

More: Bay Tide ...

Beth Drydock No. 5

Type:: artificial reef, drydock (3 sections)
Built:: ?
Specs:: ( 133 x 96 x 54 ft )
Sunk:: May 20, 1985
GPS:: 38.515281 -74.525933
Depth:: 120 ft

More: Beth Drydock No. 5 ...

Brightliner Subway Cars

Type:: ~100 "Brightliner" subway cars - NYC Subway system
Built:: 1963-1964 - Budd Company - Model R32 # 3350-3949
1966-1967 - St. Louis Car - Model R38 # 3950-4149
1967-1969 - St. Louis Car - Model R40 # 4150-4349
1969-1970 - St. Louis Car - Model R42 # 4550-4949
Specs:: ( 60 x 10 ft ) 10 tons ( all, typical, body only )
Sunk:: 44 cars were sunk on Atlantic City Reef on April 3, 2008
more in Cape May reef and Delaware reefs
Sponsor:: New York City Metropolitan Transportation Authority ( MTA )
GPS:: too many to list, and all gone anyway
Depth:: Depths vary by location

More: Brightliner Subway Cars ...

Cittie Point

Type:: artificial reef, tugboat
Built:: 1953, American Marine, New Orleans, LA, as Valmet
Specs:: ( 95 ft )
Sunk:: Monday June 2, 2008 - Delaware #11 Artificial Reef
GPS:: 38°40.540' -74°43.957'

More: Cittie Point ...

Crazy Horse

no photo available

Type:: artificial reef, trawler
Built:: 1974, Marine Builders, Mobile AL USA
Specs:: ( 77 x 23 ft )
Sunk:: Friday Jan 30, 2009 - Delaware #11 Artificial Reef
GPS:: 38°40.540' -74°43.957'

More: Crazy Horse ...

Delaware Bay Reefs

Delaware Artificial Reefs

Buchannon barge
Cape Henlopen Buoy
Golden Eagle
P3/Dolphin
pilot boat

Delaware has a string of artificial reef sites in the Delaware bay, but they are of little interest to divers. Most of the sites are quite shallow and perilously close to the shipping lanes, several of them were actually reduced for this reason. The conditions in the bay are hardly good for diving. The reefs consist mostly of concrete rubble from construction in Philadelphia and other cities on the river. Also shown is New Jersey's sole artificial reef in the bay.

More: Delaware Bay Reefs ...

Delilah DPC-65

Type:: artificial reef, tugboat
Built:: 1943, Decatur Iron & Steel, Decatur AL as DPC-65
Specs:: ( 86 x 24 ft ) 146 GT, 9 crew
Sunk:: Friday Jan 15, 1999 - Delaware #11 Artificial Reef
GPS:: 38°40.540' -74°43.957'
Depth:: 75 ft

More: Delilah DPC-65 ...

Delaware Artificial Reef Sites

1 2 3 4

Collecting Live Specimens

A different sort of hunting is "bring 'em home alive". An aquarium can be a fascinating way to observe and photograph marine life, especially when the weather or season is not conducive to diving. Freshwater aquariums are easier to set up and maintain, especially for the novice, and a number of the local species of Sunfish are as attractive as anything you can buy in a store.

Marine aquariums are more difficult but offer many more possibilities in what you can keep - the marine environment contains many types of invertebrates and fishes that are simply not present in freshwater, such as horseshoe crabs, starfish, anemones, urchins, and many more. Many of these creatures can simply be picked up at low tide. When collecting stinging creatures such as anemones, keep them in strict solitary confinement during transport, or they will sting everything else to death, including each other. Once established in an aquarium, they are not usually a problem, as the other critters quickly learn to stay away.

More: Collecting Live Specimens ...