New Jersey Artificial Reefs (14/18) ~ New Jersey Scuba Diving

New Jersey Artificial Reefs (14/18)

Susan Rose Sunk in February

The Susan Rose was re-sunk as an artificial reef in February. At present there still has been no public announcement. Here is the NJDEP contact form if you would like to inquire:

https://dep.nj.gov/contact-form

If you would like to visit this or any other of New Jersey's new unpublished reefs, contact New Jersey Artificial Reef Coordinator Peter Clarke at Mad Hatter Charters in Neptune City.

New Jersey Artificial Reefs

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Red Oak WLM-689

Type:: artificial reef, buoy tender / ice breaker, US Coast Guard
Built:: 1971, US Coast Guard Yard, Baltimore MD
Specs:: ( 157 x 33 ft )
Depth:: 65 ft
Sponsor:: USCG, Dick Weber & South Jersey Fishing Center
Sunk:: Monday September 13, 1999 - Cape May Artificial Reef
GPS:: 38°53.125' -74°40.816'

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Redbird Subway Cars

Type:: 250 "Redbird" subway cars - NYC Subway system - steel bodies / frames
Built:: 1959-1960 - American Car & Foundry - Model R26 # 7750-7859
1960-1961 - American Car & Foundry - Model R28 # 7860-7959
1962-1963 - St. Louis Car - Model R29 # 8570-8805
1962-1963 - St. Louis Car - Model R33 # 8806-9345
1963-1964 - St. Louis Car - Model R36 # 9346-9769
Specs:: ( 51 x 9 ft ) 15,000 to 18,000 pounds (body)
Sunk:: 50 cars - Cape May Reef on July 3, 2003
50 cars - Deepwater Reef on July 16, 2003
50 cars - Atlantic City Reef on July 25, 2003
50 cars - Garden State North Reef on Sept 3, 2003
50 cars - Shark River Reef on Oct 14, 2003
619 cars - Delaware Reef 11 from Aug 2001 to Nov 2003
Sponsor:: New York City Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA)
anti- Sponsor:: Environmental group Clean Ocean Action lobbied aggressively and almost successfully to prevent the use of these subway cars as artificial reefs in New Jersey, resulting in most of the cars going to other states.
GPS:: too many to list, and all gone anyway
Depth:: Depths vary by location between 80 ft and 130 ft.

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April 2, 2025

Reef Program Dodges a Bullet

April 2, 2025

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.

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Response 1

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'

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Restorer

Type:: artificial reef, trawler
Specs:: ( 62 ft )
Sponsor:: Bob Henry
Sunk:: Friday December 19, 1997 - Sea Girt Artificial Reef
GPS:: 40°08.005' -73°56.025'

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Rock & Rubble

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.

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Rock Ridges

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

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