Delaware Artificial Reefs

Delaware Artificial Reefs

Coverage of Delaware is restricted to just those sites that are in the ocean. Siting reefs has been tricky for Delaware, as they must be kept clear of the shipping lanes. This doesn't leave a lot of places that are both located in usefully deep water and a convenient distance from shore.

Delaware Artificial Reef Charts

Twin Capes
Shearwater
Shearwater
USS Radford
USS Radford
Gregory Poole
YO-93
USCG Tamaroa
two tugboats
two tugboats
Frieda Marie
American Glory
American Glory

Delaware Artificial Reef Sites

Delaware has eight permitted reefs in the Delaware Bay, and another way offshore that is undeveloped and will likely stay that way.

Site #8 has a 70' tugboat "Golden Eagle". Site #6 has a 120' barge. Site #1 has a 40' pilot boat. Other than that, the Delaware Bay reefs are all concrete rubble.


Delaware #9 Artificial Reef

Depth: 50-60 ft


DelJerseyLand Inshore Artificial Reef

Depth: 120-140 ft


Delaware #11 Artificial Reef

Depth: 70-90 ft


rock reef
A hopper barge full of rock

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.


Type:
artificial reef, scallop dredge
Built:
1977, Halter Marine, Lockport LA USA, as Southern Prince
Specs:
( 156 x 39 ft ) 269 gross tons
Sunk:
Wednesday, June 29, 2022 - Delaware #11 Artificial Reef
GPS:
38°40.494' -74°43.868'
Depth:
85 ft

The Texas Star was built in 1977 on a multi-purpose supply ship hull, probably to service offshore oil platforms. The vessel was refitted as a floating casino in 1986, originally named Millionaire’s Casino, out of Savannah Georgia, but later moved to Texas and renamed Texas Star Casino. "The 12,000 square-foot vessel featured games such as craps, blackjack, roulette, poker and slot machines, with a bingo parlor situated on the nearby dock."



Humpback Whale

Megaptera novaeangliae

Size: to 50 ft

Habitat: oceanic

Notes:
These are most often seen from charter boats, and are certainly the most common large whales in the area. Occasionally one may even be spotted from shore. The popular notion of a whale song is actually the vocalization of these whales.

Printed from njscuba.net