Some of the best new dive sites, as well as some of the most intriguing established ones around the world, are artificial reefs formed of ships which have been expressly sunken to create habitats for marine life as well as attractions for divers to enjoy. What does it take, though in terms of planning, finances, and actual elbow grease, to create an artificial reef from a ship or a boat? Let’s take a look.
Planning Stages
In order to begin the transformation, a suitable site must be located, and permits must be secured in most places. Impact studies must be conducted, and contingency plans must be made. Once that has happened, and once a ship or other suitable craft, such as a jumbo jet, has been donated to or purchased, then work must begin in earnest.
Financial Requirements
Luckily, old ships that are suitable for duty as artificial reefs are easy to come by, and their owners are often quite eager to get rid of them. In many cases, they are sold for less than the price of scrap; often, a token sum of one dollar is all it takes to buy one of these vessels. However, artificial reef societies and other reef builders must often foot the bill for the cost of disposing of hazardous wastes, plus they must pay for explosives and other materials required. Much of the actual work is done by volunteers, and often, the materials needed to get the job done are donated. Scrap metal and other items that cannot remain with the ship after sinking, including items like valuable copper wire, are sold to help defray the cost of preparation and deployment.
Physical Requirements
Once a suitable ship has been secured and a site for sinking has been located, the work begins in earnest, with a few different goals in mind. First, hazardous materials must be removed, including oils, plastics containing PCB’s, hydraulic and transmission fluids, and any remaining fuel; this is done to protect the marine environment and prevent divers from coming into contact with dangerous substances.
Second, the superstructure or any weak portions of the superstructure are removed, since this is usually the first part of a wreck to succumb to the ravages of time and salt water. The ship’s interior is cleared of any entanglement hazards or snags, as well as of anything that could come loose and cause an injury; this is done with the intent of protecting divers from preventable accidents.
Third, the ship has massive holes cut in her sides and interior bulkheads, decks, and overheads; this is done to help ensure the ship lands upright, and it enables divers to penetrate the ship with a much greater margin of safety.
Before sinking, extra ballast is added to keep the ship upright as she is towed to her final destination. Once on site, the ship can be flooded section by section, or it can be dynamited with holes blown in the engine room and stern first to create the best possibility of the ship’s landing in an upright position once beneath the surface. This is for the benefit of both divers and marine life; divers enjoy safer diving and an enhanced experience on an upright ship, while marine life does best in an environment with lots of nooks and crannies to hide in and plenty of varied surfaces to cling to.
Whether you dive in British Columbia, California, Florida, the Caribbean, or any number of the world’s best diving destinations, you’ll find all sorts of fantastic artificial reefs to explore. Support an artificial reef society if you can, either financially or by pitching in to prepare a ship for sinking; you’ll enjoy your dives even more knowing that you helped to make dreams a reality.