New Jersey Artificial Reefs (18/19)

New Jersey Artificial Reefs

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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


Ocean Wreck Divers I reef
Type:
artificial reef, MLB-44 patrol boats ( 2 ), US Coast Guard
Built:
1963, Curtis Bay MD USA
Specs:
( 44 x 12 ft ) 20 tons
Sponsor:
Ocean Wreck Divers (USCG 44333)
VHFC - Village Harbor Fishing Club, GDF (USCG 44322)
Depth:
OWD - 60 ft
VHFC - 80 ft
Sunk:
OWD - Tuesday July 11, 1995
VHFC - Tuesday May 16, 1995 - Garden State South Artificial Reef
GPS - OWD:
39°33.426' -74°05.973'
GPS - VHFC:
39°33.496' -74°05.991'


Vincent Tibbetts reef
Type:
artificial reef, T1-M-A2 tanker, gasoline
Built:
1944, East Coast Shipyards, Bayonne NJ USA as USS Ochlockonee AOG-33
Specs:
( 244 x 37 ft ) tonnage unknown after lengthening
Sponsor:
Cape May County Party & Charter Boat Association, PSE&G Habitat Restoration Fund, friends of Walt Hendee, Ann E Clark Foundation
Sunk:
Thursday Sept 5, 2002 - Deepwater Artificial Reef
GPS:
38°58.385' -74°11.429'
Depth:
135 ft


Waldorf reef
Type:
artificial reef, barge, crane
Specs:
( 110 ft )
Sponsor:
Caldwell's Diving Company
Sunk:
Friday December 3 1999 - Little Egg Artificial Reef
GPS:
39°28.780' -74°11.084'



New Jersey Artificial Reefs

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Manasquan River
Aerial shot of the entire Manasquan River estuary, looking southeast. The Railroad Bridge dive site is at the upper-right.

The Manasquan River is overall not as nice a place to dive as the Shark River. The currents are stronger, the water never seems as clean, and the bottom is silty wherever it is not covered with mussels. The inlet jetties can be downright dangerous, and the boat traffic in the channel there is often very heavy. Off the north jetty is the so-called "Manasquan Wreck", but this is a long swim from shore and probably best approached with a boat.