This anonymous big rectangular wooden dry-dock barge lies off Asbury Park, out near the edge of the Mud Hole. It is similar to the better-known Immaculata. The hulk of the wreck rises up as much as 10 feet, partially intact, while the upper sides have collapsed into the silty sand. Holes in the main wreckage allow penetration into the dark interior, which is surprisingly barren. A debris field of large rectangular ballast stones, wooden ribs, and rusted machinery extend from the western edge of the wreck, and to a lesser extent all around it. In exceptional late October fifty-foot visibility the view of this wreck from above was impressive, but overall this is not a very pretty site, and it is seldom dived. Good for lobsters, Sea Bass, scallops, and decompression.
Deep and dark, the Mud Hole is the Hudson River's channel from a time when the oceans were much lower. Today it collects all the silt and sediment that the river carries out to the sea, making it a very fertile fishing ground, frequented by pelagic fishes and sharks. The contour shown on the chart is not any particular depth, but do give an idea of the location.
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:
If you would like to visit this or any other of New Jersey's new unpublished reefs, contact New Jersey Artificial Reef Coordinator Peter Clarke at Mad Hatter Charters in Neptune City.