New Jersey Dive Sites (22/31) ~ New Jersey Scuba Diving

New Jersey Dive Sites (22/31)

Dive Sites - New Jersey

Dutch Springs
Willow Springs

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Manasquan River Railroad Bridge

Railroad Bridge

Type:: inland tidal river
Depth:: 20 ft, mostly a lot shallower

This spot is upstream on the Manasquan River. The diving area is rather small and not very deep. Visibility tends to be poor, and this is worsened whenever an O/W training class is in session, which is often. Also, the current under the bridge becomes very strong, so slack water is essential. For a long time, a dredge barge has been anchored in the channel, but otherwise, there is no boat traffic.

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Ramos

Type:: shipwreck, schooner barge
Specs:: 1208 tons
Sunk:: Friday June 30, 1933
GPS:: 40°25.505' -73°54.071' (AWOIS 1990)
Depth:: 80 ft

Nearby are the remains of several other barges.

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Ranald

Type:: shipwreck, iron-hulled screw steamer
Built:: 1878, Scotland, as Clan Ranald
Specs:: ( 305 x 34 ft ) 2008 gross tons
Sunk:: Tuesday June 4, 1901
foundered when cargo of asphalt melted and shifted - no casualties
Depth:: 40 ft

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Ranger

Type:: shipwreck, steamer
Depth:: 85 ft

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This bay is muddy and turbid, although some folks dive the several small wrecks around the inside of Sandy Hook. Bottle hunting around the old piers and pilings in Keyport harbor is also a possibility, but most of the structures along the bay shore are too small and shallow to be of interest. I have scouted the shoreline from Atlantic Highlands to Laurence Harbor, and nothing looks too promising. See also entries on Navesink River and Horseshoe Cove.

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Raritan River

Dive here? You must be kidding !

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Reliable

Type:: shipwreck, trawler
Built:: 1918
Specs:: ( 104 x 15 ft ) 83 tons
Sunk:: May 25, 1949

Krotee has a rather confused listing for a wooden trawler Reliable ( which he also calls Sea Hag ) sunk in this vicinity.

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Relief Lightship WAL-505

Type:: shipwreck, lightship, USCG
Name:: Named for its job - as the "relief ship" for the other regular lightships along the eastern seaboard.
Built:: 1904, New York Shipbuilding, Camden NJ USA
Specs:: ( 129 x 28 ft ) 631 gross tons, 9 crew
Sunk:: Friday June 24, 1960
collision with freighter Green Bay - no casualties
GPS:: 40°27.144' -73°49.070' (AWOIS 2003)
Depth:: 105 ft, main deck at 90

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Remedios Pascual

Type:: shipwreck, sailing ship, Spain
Built:: 1885, J. Urquhart, Canada, as Stalwart
Specs:: ( 216 x 40 ft ) 1605 gross tons, 21 crew
Sunk:: Saturday January 3, 1903
ran aground in bad weather - no casualties
Depth:: 25 ft

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Rickseckers

Type:: shipwreck, steamer
Depth:: 66 ft

This is the remains of an unidentified vessel which we located in August of 1986. She appears to be an old paddlewheel steamship, but this is only speculation and has yet to be confirmed. The only artifact I've found on this little wreck was a perfume bottle with the name "Rickseckers Perfume" on it, hence the name, Rickseckers.

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New Jersey Dive Sites

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Boat Diving

Dive boat operations in the Northeast are significantly different from those you may be used to in the tropics. For this discussion, "Northeast" may be taken to mean any place north of Florida, or south at least to North Carolina.

The typical going rate for boat diving in New Jersey is about $65 for a one-tank excursion, $90-100 for a two-tank excursion. With recent fuel prices, you can expect a small surcharge as well. Longer, deeper, or special trips may cost more. A non-refundable deposit or credit card number is generally required to make the reservation. Once onboard, the crew will do all they can to make your trip a good one, so don't forget that it is customary to leave a tip for them as well - at least $5-$10, more if one of them did something special, like retrieve what you dropped overboard, or save your life. Tips go to the chief mate, not the captain.

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