Islands should have more artificial reefs!

[MauiScubaSteve]

Florida has that sinking feeling again; another very large ship will be sunk, this time off Key West.

USAFS Gen. Hoyt S. Vandenberg (scuttling tbd), a 524' troop support ship is being cleaned and prepared for transport to it's final resting place, 6 miles off Key West.

USS Oriskany (spring '06), an 888' aircraft carrier is the largest artificial reef I've heard of, resting in 212' of water 24 miles off Pensacola Beach.

USS Spiegel Grove (spring '02), a 510' dock landing ship rests in 134' of water 6 miles off Key Largo, close to the sister 327' USCGC's Duanne and Bibb (both scuttled in '87).

Here is one White House official I'd like to have a beer with, quoted from the Vandenberg page...

White House Council on Environmental Quality, James Connaughton, also an avid scuba diver, said he first learned of the project "at a bar in Key West, where most good ideas begin."

He said it exemplifies "sustainable development" and "cooperative conservation," and illustrates how government and private interests can come together to benefit the environment, the economy and society.

The mainland ghost ship yards are hundreds of miles from the artificial reef sites. Surely we could get some of our mothballed fleet as far as Kauai and Maui, not to mention more for Oahu. There appears to be Federal support and funding for these projects, all we need is a local push.

 

[ScubaAndDreams]

I am all for it. Sounds like you just volunteered yourself to head this project up I would lend whatever support I can provide...just give me a hollar.

 

[onfloat]

I'm in!! Let's do it.

 

[The Chairman]

Every DEMA there is a "Ships to Wrecks" presentation. It's a great place to start.

 

[Shaka Doug]

I've often wondered why we don't have more wrecks around here. Obviously, the St. Anthony and the surrounding tire reef is doing a good job of providing habitat for fish and recreation for us on Maui. I think getting a few more places like that would be a great idea.

I'm heading to DEMA in a few weeks. I will ask about the "Ships to Wrecks" presentation and see if they have any plans for Hawaii.

 

[rockjock3]

Count me in for help needed, within my abilities.

 

[MauiScubaSteve]

Sounds like you just volunteered yourself to head this project up

In this day and age, big projects like this need to be sold to the public, as well as to the greenies and the feds. That said I must admit I am only good at selling people things they allready know they want.

I am relatively sure the bar patrons who initiated the Key West wreck found a more PC figurehead than themselves, or me. A savings account would help too.

 

[friscuba]

On the Big Island, we've had a HUGE problem with the locals. They'd come to meetings and yell any time someone in favor of the project spoke. Lots of misinformation out there... wrecks cause ciguaterra, etc.

We had a group trying to get approval for a large wreck a couple of years back, it was pretty ugly.

 

[MauiScubaSteve]

When I saw friscuba had the most recent post I thought "should have included da big island." Always interesting to hear the other side, especially when I didn't know there was another side.

 

[KrisB]

I'm told that the area the St. Anthony is in is part of a larger designated space (of tens of acres) for an artificial reef. It's just a matter of getting appropriately sized wrecks that they won't be navigation hazards (apparently it maxes out ~95 fsw).

I'm willing to help as far as organisation goes... as for selling or bank account... well, I'm a dive instructor and computer geek. 'nuff said.