Manasquan Dive Sites (2/11)
- Type:
- sailing ship
- Name:
- Balaena is an old term for whale, derived from Latin. The name was found inscribed on the ship's bell.
- Depth:
- 170 ft
shipwreck, wooden hull full of coal
A wood sailing ship in the Mud Hole at a depth of 170 feet. She was a collier or ore carrier. She is still largely intact, coal in what's left of her holds. Divers tell tales of finding lots of deadeyes, but I haven't seen or heard of one coming from this wreck in many years. Her bell was found to identify her name, but not much else has been discovered about her history. A dive for the very experienced diver. Limited visibility, deep and dark. For those with the technical dive skill, it is a very nice dive.
More: Balaena ...
Dozens of jetties up and down the coast have been cut-though at the base like this one, making them inaccessible to fishermen, but not divers !
More: Beach Jetties ...
- Type:
- shipwreck, clam dredge, USA
- Built:
- 1990, Bock Marine - Beaufort NC USA
- Specs:
- ( 84 ft ) 96 tons, 4 crew
- Sunk:
- Wednesday January 6, 1999
foundered in rough seas - no survivors - Depth:
- 120 ft
More: Beth Dee Bob ...
- Type:
- shipwreck, dry-dock barge
- Depth:
I don't know the reason for this offshore barge's name, other than it might well be the real one. Nevertheless, this wood barge, sometimes called a drydock lies in 120+ of water and is usually a very good lobster dive, albeit a deeper one. Bottom visibility is often cloudy to poor. It's not the best bottom conditions here, but a careful and advanced certified diver can bring home a lot of lobsters for dinner with a dive here. This spot isn't frequently dived.
More: Blue Boy ...
- Type:
- shipwreck, steamer ( assuming it is the Creole ) USA
- Built:
- 1862, Mystic CN, USA
- Specs:
- ( 194 x 34 ft ) 1229 tons
- Sunk:
- March 17, 1868, ran aground in fog - no casualties
- Depth:
- 20 ft
More: Bluff's Wreck / Creole? ...
- Type:
- shipwreck, barge
- Depth:
- 120 ft
This wreck got its name from the first few divers to get there, who struck it rich in lobsters in its wooden ribs and decking. The wreckage is very well spread out in several lines or walls, with decking off to one side. Near the bow, an overturned piece of decking is home to ling and blackfish. Off to the side lie the winch and small bits of machinery.
More: Bonanza ...
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 ...