New Jersey Artificial Reef Sites (17/19)

New Jersey Artificial Reefs

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Swensen Barge reef
The towboat Heavy Metal is now sunk on the Townsends Inlet Reef.
Type:
artificial reef, barge
Built:
1970
Specs:
( 50 x 16 ft )
Sunk:
Friday June 27, 2003 - Axel Carlson Artificial Reef
GPS:
40°03.585' -73°59.391'
Depth:
80 ft

Swenson barges I & II reefs
Swenson Barge I
Type:
artificial reef, barge
Specs:
( 130 x 30 ft )
Sponsor:
Shore Dock Company Inc.
Sunk:
I - Friday July 25, 1986
II - Wednesday September 16, 1987 - Sea Girt Artificial Reef
GPS:
40°07.305' -73°56.885'


Rhino reef
Type:
artificial reef, crew boat
Specs:
( 50 x 13 ft )
Sponsor:
Caldwell's Diving Company, Absecon Saltwater Fishermen
Sunk:
Friday May 27, 1988 - Garden State South Artificial Reef
GPS:
39°33.693' -74°06.123'
Depth:
65 ft



#9 reef
Type:
artificial reef, tow boat, originally USCG patrol boat
Specs:
( 40 x 12 ft )
Sponsor:
Artificial Reef Association, Jim Lees
Sunk:
Wednesday July 31, 1995 - Barnegat Light Artificial Reef
GPS:
39°45.127' -74°01.297'

Troy reef
Type:
artificial reef, tugboat, USA
Built:
1955, Matton Shipyard, Cohoes NY USA as Matton
Specs:
( 90 x 20 ft )
Sponsor:
Joe Williams, Ocean City Marlin & Tuna Club, Atlantic County Party & Charter Boat Association
Sunk:
Friday April 27, 1990 - Atlantic City Artificial Reef
GPS:
39°15.290' -74°14.060'
Depth:
75 ft

Tuna Sub reef
Type:
artificial reef, barge
Built:
circa 1990, NY USA
Specs:
( 42 x 22 ft )
Sponsor:
Forked River Tuna Club
Sunk:
Tuesday May 21, 2002 - Barnegat Light Artificial Reef
GPS:
39°45.973' -74°01.459'

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, Moore Drydock, 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

New Jersey Artificial Reef Sites

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Harbor Seal

Phoca vitulina

by Larry Sarner

Wild seals conjure up images of northern or even Arctic climates. But few people know that more than a hundred harbor seals call New Jersey home during the winter months, coming ashore into isolated estuaries and even upstream into a few rivers.

New Jersey is near the southern limits of the range for harbor seals on the East Coast. However, these seals are frequent visitors offshore in winter and even have been reported as far south as the mouth of the Chesapeake Bay in Virginia and off the coast of North Carolina. The winter seal-sighting season runs from December through March. Seals generally leave the New Jersey coast by the second week in April, probably responding to rising air and water temperatures and the increase in human activity.