wrekdiver2
Contributor
Shipwrecks lure divers to N.J.
Friday, July 9, 2004
Nautical history along Atlantic coastline offers many opportunities for exploration
By LAVINIA DeCASTRO
Courier-Post Staff
The coast of Maine is known for its abundance of lobsters, the Hawaiian coast is renowned for its premier surfing conditions and Florida's coast is known for its majestic coral reefs.
Ever wonder what the Jersey Shore's claim to fame is?
For divers and fishermen, it's shipwrecks.
"Imagine driving down the highway and seeing a huge junkyard," said local shipwreck expert Stephen D. Nagiewicz, who commands the 45-foot charter boat Diversion II. "Now, fill that up with water and that's what they look like."
Nagiewicz estimates that the remains of 1,000 to 2,500 ships lie on the ocean floor between Sandy Hook and Cape May.
"I don't think anyone knows how many there are for sure," he said.
Many of these ships were sunk by the state Department of Environmental Protection to provide habitat for fish and other wildlife.
The DEP has been sinking a variety of things, such as barges, boats and old subway cars since 1984 to form 14 artificial reefs covering 25 square miles of sea floor. The reefs are within easy boat range of 12 New Jersey inlets.
The reefs generate $50 million a year for the state's coastal tourism and fishing industries, according to the DEP.
A 2000 DEP survey showed that 62 percent of all private boats and 33 percent of charter boats used by divers were headed for the reefs, said DEP spokesman Peter Boger.
Also popular with divers are several shipwrecks that are outside of the artificial reefs.
"I dive all over the world, but here, it's completely different," said Moorestown resident Jeffrey Bifk.
Despite less-than-perfect diving conditions - New Jersey waters are cold, visibility is low and some wrecks can be difficult to navigate - charter boats haul out thousands of divers from early spring to late fall.
"They want to dive something with history; it's a little bit more than just going down and looking at the fish," Nagiewicz said.
There's plenty of history under the waves:
The Persephone, a tanker torpedoed by the German U-boat 593 on May 25, 1942. It now lies 55 feet below the surface, less then five miles off the Barnegat Inlet.
The R.P. Resor, a 7,500-ton tanker torpedoed by the German U-boat 578 on Feb. 28, 1942. It sank nearly 32 miles off the Barnegat Inlet and now sits 120 feet below the surface. The massive explosion was seen from boardwalks and beaches miles away.
The Gulf Trade, a tanker torpedoed by the German U-boat 588 on March 10, 1942. The vessel broke in half - the bow floated in and now sits 60 feet below the surface while the stern sank and sits upright 100 feet below the surface. The wreck site is roughly 19 miles off the Manasquan Inlet.
The I.P. Goulandris, which collided with another vessel in 1942. It now lies upright and intact at 190 feet below the surface, roughly 14 miles from Asbury Park.
The Chapparra, a Cuban freighter carrying a cargo of sugar that struck mines laid out by the U-boat 177 on Oct. 27, 1918. It lies on its port side roughly 75 feet below the surface, roughly 8 miles off the Barnegat Inlet.
The Arundo, a freighter torpedoed by the U-boat 136 on April 28, 1942. It now sits 140 feet below the surface, just 15 miles off of the Asbury Park coast.
These ships are not the only underwater attractions down the shore. Other popular dive sites include:
The Western World wreck, a 180-foot three-masted sailing ship from Portsmouth, N.H., that ran aground on Oct. 22, 1853. The debris now sits roughly 150 feet from the Long Branch shore.
The Emerald, a wood-hulled steam ship that sank May 1, 1873. The little that's left of this ship sits about 80 feet below the surface 11 miles off the Manasquan Inlet.
The dual wrecks: On March 3, 1859, the Dutch bark Adonis sank off Deal Beach during a storm. Eighteen years later, on March 17, 1877, the 300-foot steel-hulled Rusland struck the Adonis during a snowstorm. The Rusland now lies atop the remains of the Adonis, just 200 yards from the Long Branch shore. The metal fragments of the Rusland's boilers can be seen in 30 feet of water.
Friday, July 9, 2004
Nautical history along Atlantic coastline offers many opportunities for exploration
By LAVINIA DeCASTRO
Courier-Post Staff
The coast of Maine is known for its abundance of lobsters, the Hawaiian coast is renowned for its premier surfing conditions and Florida's coast is known for its majestic coral reefs.
Ever wonder what the Jersey Shore's claim to fame is?
For divers and fishermen, it's shipwrecks.
"Imagine driving down the highway and seeing a huge junkyard," said local shipwreck expert Stephen D. Nagiewicz, who commands the 45-foot charter boat Diversion II. "Now, fill that up with water and that's what they look like."
Nagiewicz estimates that the remains of 1,000 to 2,500 ships lie on the ocean floor between Sandy Hook and Cape May.
"I don't think anyone knows how many there are for sure," he said.
Many of these ships were sunk by the state Department of Environmental Protection to provide habitat for fish and other wildlife.
The DEP has been sinking a variety of things, such as barges, boats and old subway cars since 1984 to form 14 artificial reefs covering 25 square miles of sea floor. The reefs are within easy boat range of 12 New Jersey inlets.
The reefs generate $50 million a year for the state's coastal tourism and fishing industries, according to the DEP.
A 2000 DEP survey showed that 62 percent of all private boats and 33 percent of charter boats used by divers were headed for the reefs, said DEP spokesman Peter Boger.
Also popular with divers are several shipwrecks that are outside of the artificial reefs.
"I dive all over the world, but here, it's completely different," said Moorestown resident Jeffrey Bifk.
Despite less-than-perfect diving conditions - New Jersey waters are cold, visibility is low and some wrecks can be difficult to navigate - charter boats haul out thousands of divers from early spring to late fall.
"They want to dive something with history; it's a little bit more than just going down and looking at the fish," Nagiewicz said.
There's plenty of history under the waves:
The Persephone, a tanker torpedoed by the German U-boat 593 on May 25, 1942. It now lies 55 feet below the surface, less then five miles off the Barnegat Inlet.
The R.P. Resor, a 7,500-ton tanker torpedoed by the German U-boat 578 on Feb. 28, 1942. It sank nearly 32 miles off the Barnegat Inlet and now sits 120 feet below the surface. The massive explosion was seen from boardwalks and beaches miles away.
The Gulf Trade, a tanker torpedoed by the German U-boat 588 on March 10, 1942. The vessel broke in half - the bow floated in and now sits 60 feet below the surface while the stern sank and sits upright 100 feet below the surface. The wreck site is roughly 19 miles off the Manasquan Inlet.
The I.P. Goulandris, which collided with another vessel in 1942. It now lies upright and intact at 190 feet below the surface, roughly 14 miles from Asbury Park.
The Chapparra, a Cuban freighter carrying a cargo of sugar that struck mines laid out by the U-boat 177 on Oct. 27, 1918. It lies on its port side roughly 75 feet below the surface, roughly 8 miles off the Barnegat Inlet.
The Arundo, a freighter torpedoed by the U-boat 136 on April 28, 1942. It now sits 140 feet below the surface, just 15 miles off of the Asbury Park coast.
These ships are not the only underwater attractions down the shore. Other popular dive sites include:
The Western World wreck, a 180-foot three-masted sailing ship from Portsmouth, N.H., that ran aground on Oct. 22, 1853. The debris now sits roughly 150 feet from the Long Branch shore.
The Emerald, a wood-hulled steam ship that sank May 1, 1873. The little that's left of this ship sits about 80 feet below the surface 11 miles off the Manasquan Inlet.
The dual wrecks: On March 3, 1859, the Dutch bark Adonis sank off Deal Beach during a storm. Eighteen years later, on March 17, 1877, the 300-foot steel-hulled Rusland struck the Adonis during a snowstorm. The Rusland now lies atop the remains of the Adonis, just 200 yards from the Long Branch shore. The metal fragments of the Rusland's boilers can be seen in 30 feet of water.
