New Jersey Artificial Reef Sites (2/19) ~ New Jersey Scuba Diving

New Jersey Artificial Reef Sites (2/19)

New Jersey Artificial Reefs

Dutch Springs
New Reef
NJDEP Nacote Creek Research Station
SRYC

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Army Tanks

M60 tanks reef — M60 tanks undergo a thorough cleaning before use as reefs

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.

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Austin

Type:: artificial reef, trawler
Built:: 1956, Tampa Marine, Tampa FL USA
Specs:: ( 65 ft ) 79 GT
Sponsor:: Grady family, Greater Point Pleasant Charter Boat Association, Ocean Reef Foundation of New Jersey
Sunk:: Wednesday Sept 21, 2016 - Axel Carlson Artificial Reef
GPS:: 40°02.900' -73°59.000'
Depth:: 80 ft

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Barbara Ann

Type:: artificial reef, barge
Specs:: ( 75 x 28 ft )
Sponsor:: Capt Steve Nagiewicz
Sunk:: Friday June 27, 2003 - Axel Carlson Artificial Reef
GPS:: 40°03.560' -73°59.300'
Depth:: 80 ft

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Barge 199

Type:: artificial reef, barge
Specs:: ( 180 ft )
Sponsor:: Beach Haven Charter Boat Association, Junior Mates Program, Sport Fishing Fund
Sunk:: Monday July 14, 2025 - Little Egg Artificial Reef
GPS:: 39°28.307’ 74°11.546'

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Bay Jack

Type:: artificial reef, tugboat - USACE
Built:: 1941, Bay Shipbuilding, Sturgeon Bay, WI as Escort
Specs:: ( 56 x 14 ft ) 34 tons
Sunk:: November 2005 - Townsends Inlet Artificial Reef
Sponsor:
GPS:: 39°06.450' -74°36.020'
Depth:: 60 ft

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Bay King YTB-175

Type:: artificial reef, tugboat
Built:: 1941, Gulfport Shipbuilding, Port Arthur, TX, as YTB-175 USS Chekilli
Specs:: ( 96 ft )
Sponsor:: Manasquan River Marlin & Tuna Club, Ann E Clark Foundation
Sunk:: Sunday January 9, 2005 - Axel Carlson Artificial Reef
GPS:: 40°03.187' -73°59.283'
Depth:: 80 ft, top at 60 ft

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Beach Haven

Type:: artificial reef, purse seiner, clam dredge, USA
Built:: 1949, RTC Shipbuilding, Camden NJ USA
Specs:: ( 125 x 21 ft )
Sponsor:: Gifford Marine Company, Fish America Foundation, Artificial Reef Association
Sunk:: Thursday August 6, 1992 - Atlantic City Artificial Reef
GPS:: 39°15.340' -74°14.017'

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Becky Lee

Type:: artificial reef, clam dredge, USA
Built:: 1968, Covacevich Shipyard, Biloxi MS, as Big Bill
Specs:: ( 85 x 23 ft )
Sponsor:: Cape May County Party & Charter Boat Association
Sunk:: Thursday July 25, 1991 - Cape May Artificial Reef
GPS:: 38°53.110' -74°01.030'
Depth:: 60 ft

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Big Mama

Type:: artificial reef, tugboat, USA
Built:: 1925, Bethlehem Wilmington, Wilmington DE as Stroudsburg
Specs:: ( 103 ft ) 195 GT
Sponsor:: Hay's Tug & Launch, GDF, Jersey Fresh Seafood Festival
Sunk:: Sunday June 9, 1995 - Atlantic City Artificial Reef
GPS:: 39°13.961' -74°12.926'
Depth:: 75 ft

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Billy D ST-842

Type:: artificial reef, tugboat, US Army
Built:: 1945, American Machinery Company, Orlando CA USA, as ST-842, R.J. Wales
Specs:: ( 80 x 23 ft )
Sponsor:: Artificial Reef Association
Sunk:: Sunday July 27, 1997 - Shark River Artificial Reef
GPS:: 40°06.320' -73°41.855'
Depth:: 125 ft

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New Jersey Artificial Reef Sites

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December 2, 2021

Dutch Springs - The End of an Era

December 2, 2021

Don't know how I missed this, but back in August, Stu retired and sold Dutch Springs to a developer who plans to put two warehouses on the property:

As you can see, one warehouse fills the small wooded area (lower-left) that was basically unused, while the other obliterates the entire area between the quarry and the road. This leaves no room for parking or facilities. The property is approximately 95 acres, but more than half of that is water.

Sad, but Stu built the place and ran it for 40 years, and he has a right to retire. As we all know, anything having to do with diving brings insurance into the mix, and thus far no other solution has been found.

The quarry will be fenced-off, and Dutch Springs will enter the history books.

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