Shark River Artificial Reef (1/2) ~ New Jersey Scuba Diving

Shark River Artificial Reef (1/2)

Shark River Artificial Reef

15.6 Nautical Miles off Manasquan
Depth: 120-140 ft [download]

More: Shark River Artificial Reef ...

1 2

Alan Martin YO-31

Type:: artificial reef, tanker, US Navy, YO-20 class
Built:: 1918, Todd Shipyards, New York NY USA, as YO-31
Specs:: ( 161 x 25 ft ) 335 tons light, 911 tons full-load
Sponsor:: Crystal Oil Corporation, Marine Trades Assn. of NJ, Fisherman Magazine
Sunk:: Thursday September 10, 1987 - Sea Girt Artificial Reef
GPS:: 40°06.440' -73°41.130'
Depth:: 125 ft

More: Alan Martin YO-31 ...

APL-31

Type:: shipwreck, barge, barracks craft - personnel housing
Built:: 1944, Everett-Pacific Shipbuilding, Everett, WA. USA
Specs:: ( 261 x 49 ft ) 2,580 tons
Sponsor:: The Meyer Family
Sunk:: Monday July 23, 2001 - Sea Girt Artificial Reef
GPS:: 40°06.600' -73°41.500'
Depth:: 125 ft

More: APL-31 ...

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

More: Billy D ST-842 ...

Captain Bart YOG-58

Type:: artificial reef, tanker, US Navy
Built:: 1944, RTC Shipbuilding, Camden NJ USA, as YOG-58
Specs:: ( 174 x 33 ft ) 1390 displacement tons (full)
Sponsor:: GPPCBA, Crown Beer Distributors, Budweiser
Sunk:: Friday June 9, 2000 - Sea Girt Artificial Reef
GPS:: 40°07.103' -73°41.479'
Depth:: 130 ft

More: Captain Bart YOG-58 ...

Coney Island

Type:: artificial reef, tanker, sludge
Built:: 1938, Bethlehem Staten Island, Staten Island NY USA
Specs:: ( 250 x 40 ft )
Sponsor:: Crystal Oil Corporation, Marine Trades Assn. of NJ, Fisherman Magazine
Sunk:: Thursday September 10, 1987 - Sea Girt Artificial Reef
GPS:: 40°06.285' -73°41.365'
Depth:: 125 ft, starts at 80 ft

More: Coney Island ...

Mako Mania YW-127

Type:: artificial reef, tanker, US Navy YW-83 class
Built:: 1945, Bay Shipbuilding, Surgeon Bay, WI, USA, as YW-127
Specs:: ( 165 x 33 ft )
Sponsor:: GPPCBA, Budweiser
Sunk:: Thursday July 16, 1998 - Sea Girt Artificial Reef
GPS:: 40°06.419' -73°41.460'
Depth:: 125 ft

More: Mako Mania YW-127 ...

New England Coast

Type:: artificial reef, tugboat, Dann Marine, USA
Built:: 1966 - Main Iron Works, Houma LA, as New England Sun
Specs:: ( 105 x 30 ft ) 184 gross tons
Sunk:: Friday July 7, 2023 - Shark River Artificial Reef
GPS:: UNPUBLISHED
Depth:: 125 ft

More: New England Coast ...

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.

More: Redbird Subway Cars ...

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.

More: Rock & Rubble ...

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.

More: Rock Ridges ...

Shark River Artificial Reef

1 2

Collecting Scallops

Scallops are not nearly so easy to get as Mussels but are well worth it. I have never seen a scallop in less than 90 ft of water, most often in 110 ft and below. Sadly, the commercial scallop boats have quite efficiently decimated the scallop population, and they are fairly rare, especially in any kind of useful quantity.

When you do get into a field of scallops though, life is good. Scallops live on the surface of the sand ( rarely on the deck of a wreck ) where each one will excavate a shallow pit. The pits are usually 2-3 ft apart, and a good field of scallops will stretch as far as you can see. Fortunately, good fields like this are usually in the vicinity of wrecks or snags, where the scallop boats will not go with their expensive bottom gear.

More: Collecting Scallops ...