Moriches Artificial Reef

Vickie        BBBB          DPC-19        Captain Sam   Ana Palmira   Niagara Falls Two Friends   St George II  Cape Fear     barge         CFD           SP-scow       Jean Elizabeth Pump Boat     barge 335

Depth: 70 - 75 ft

Moriches Artificial Reef

This reef is so tiny, some of these spots are probably within sight of each other underwater !

side-scan sonar image of Moriches Reef (old)
M-60 tanks sunk on Moriches Reef off Long Island
video by Dan Berg


M60 tanks reef
M60 tanks undergo a thorough cleaning before use as reefs

The Artificial Reef Program used four types of obsolete Army armored vehicles as artificial reef materials off the New Jersey coast. These were cleaned at local military bases, loaded onto barges for transport, and pushed off at their final destination. Once the Army had disposed of its excess inventory, the program ceased, around 1999. The Artificial Reef Program has sunk almost 400 tanks altogether, far too many to list them here in this website.




Under tow to the reef, with crushed wheelhouse and no masts
Type:
artificial reef, clam dredge
Built:
1983 - James K Walker Marine, Moss Point MS USA
Specs:
( 112x24 ft ) 188 gross tons
Sunk:
Wednesday March 8, 2000 - Moriches Artificial Reef
Depth:
75 ft
GPS:
40°43.505' -72°46.386'

wheelhouse up - looks a little bizarre
Type:
artificial reef, tugboat
Built:
1943, Neponset MA USA
Specs:
( 81 x 24 ft ) 142 gross tons
Sunk:
Friday November 7, 2003 - Moriches Artificial Reef
Depth:
GPS:
40°43.470' -72°46.489'

I find this sort of material to be much more interesting than the endless rehashing of coral reefs, glowingly useless gear reviews, and "buoyancy tips" that fill up the standard glossy diving magazines.

Historical

Conservation ManualDonny L. Hamilton

The Oxford Companion to Ships and the Sea

The Oxford Companion to Ships and the Sea
Peter Kemp, 1988

Lots of interesting information and trivia.




Printed from njscuba.net