For the record, if the stated LOA of 210' is correct, it's no where near the largest artificial reef in Dade County.
Miami-Dade County to get its largest artificial reef - Other Sports - MiamiHerald.com
Miami-Dade County to get its largest artificial reef
Similar stories:•5 areas off Miami-Dade to get mooring buoys
5 areas off Miami-Dade to get mooring buoysFor the first time, some of Miami-Dade County's most popular coral reefs are about to get mooring buoys where boaters can tie up instead of tossing damaging anchors overboard.
The county's Department of Environmental Resources Management next month plans to install 20 of the floating balls on five reef areas stretching from Sunny Isles Beach south to Key Biscayne. Foundations for the moorings have been built at reefs dubbed Graceland, North Canyon, South Canyon, Pillars and Emerald Reef. Future plans call for adding 17 moorings at those sites and several artificial reefs, including the Half Moon underwater archaeological site; the Jose Cuervo Bar and a Port of Miami mitigation site filled with limestone boulders.
Sara Thanner, environmental resource project supervisor with DERM, said mooring sites were chosen in consultation with the local fishing and diving communities.
•Year-long project aims to preserve coral in Miami-Dade waters
Year-long project aims to preserve coral in Miami-Dade watersI n their wet suits and masks, scientific divers carry oxygen tanks, underwater cameras, measuring tape, and about 50 pounds of equipment into Biscayne Bay to restore Miami-Dade's coral reefs.
The task is necessary, as boaters moving in shallow waters toss anchors overboard that cut through corals and harm fragile seagrass areas, said Stephen M. Blair, chief of environmental restoration with the county's Department of Environmental Resources Management.
Seeing the damage and decline of coral species, Blair leads a team of divers that is installing mooring buoys in five coral reef areas from just north of Biscayne National Park to the Miami-Dade-Broward County line. The work is part of a year-long project that started this month.
•Long-spined sea urchin makes comeback in Florida Keys
Long-spined sea urchin makes comeback in Florida KeysAmid 300-pound groupers, curious barracudas and a rainbow of tropical fish attracted to a new artificial reef off Key West, a tiny creature is causing a big stir among conservationists: the long-spined sea urchin.
Decimated by disease during the early 1980s, the urchins have struggled to recover in the Caribbean Basin. Sightings of them in the Lower Keys had been rare until divers began spotting them on the reef created by the sinking of the USS Vandenberg five months ago.
``Wow, that's cool, and very interesting,'' said Jon Dodrill, head of Florida's Artificial Reef Program. ``It's been a long-term concern that the urchins were not coming back.''
•Diver drowns in waters off Fowey Rock Lighthouse
Diver drowns in waters off Fowey Rock LighthouseA 24-year-old diver died while exploring the waters off southeast Miami-Dade County, authorities said Sunday night.
Police identified the diver as Antonio Gonzalez of West Kendall. He and two other divers went out to explore the Brewster Reef while free-diving, which uses snorkels and masks instead of an air tank, said U.S. Coast Guard Petty Officer Sabrina Elgammal.
About 2 p.m., all three surfaced in the area of the Fowey Rock Lighthouse, which is about seven miles southeast of Key Biscayne.
BY SUSAN COCKING
scocking@MiamiHerald.com
Just in time for 2010, Miami-Dade County is about to get its largest artificial reef deployed by and for the sport-diving community.
A local scuba diving organization called Miami-Dade Reef Guard Association (MIRA) -- headed by Miami Beach dive operator Mike Beach -- said that the 210-foot freighter Sea Taxi is scheduled for sinking off Key Biscayne on Dec. 30.
With help from Miami-Dade County's Department of Environmental Resources Management, workers from the Bruce Schurgar Company are slated to put the ship down in 100 feet of water.
``This will be the first wreck we've had in Miami-Dade County in a long time,'' Beach said. ``We're hoping to reinvigorate the diving community in Miami.''
NEW HOME FOR FISH
The new artificial reef is expected to boost the local marine ecosystem by creating a new home for fish and other marine creatures while diverting diving pressure off adjacent natural reefs.
Beach said it is being re-named the Ophelia Brian after the daughter of donors from the Brian and Lavinia Snyder Foundation -- avid divers who contributed funds for the project. Built in 1965 by the J.J. Sietas yard in Hamburg, Germany, and christened the Hoheburg, the vessel is a sister ship to two very popular, previously sunk Miami-Dade artificial reefs -- the Ultra Freeze and the Deep Freeze. It's been renamed several times in the past 40 years, most recently called the Sea Taxi.
DIVE/VIEWING TRIP
MIRA will host a dive/viewing trip to the sinking aboard the Big Com-ocean out of Miami Beach Marina at noon Dec. 30. The organization also plans to sell medallions and stickers for $10 apiece to raise funds for Miami-Dade County artificial reef and mooring buoy programs. For more information, call 305-861-6277 or visit
Miami-Dade Reef Guard Association.