 In November
of 1991, through the efforts of the NJ Artificial
Reef Program, the Algol was sunk on the Shark
River Reef, 12 miles off the coast of Belmar,
New Jersey.
 Careful preparation
prior to the sinking included removal of
all fuels and contaminants on board ship.
The NJ State Police Bomb Squad saw that holes
were strategically cut in the watertight
bulkheads and carefully placed explosives
to ensure the boat would settle to the bottom,
right side up. She does sit upright on the
125ft deep reef, with the top of the ship
reaching up just 70ft below the surface.
At 460ft in length the
Steamin' Demon is the largest boat ever sunk
for the NJ Artificial Reef Program and one
of the largest on the coast. The ship, now
a mature reef, is expected to provide an
undersea marine habitat for fishermen and
scuba divers to enjoy for the next 150 to
200 years. |
