Artificial Reef Sites Information
www.volusiareefs.org
4/17/08 updates to the April 2000 Port Authority pamphlet
(To print these pages, select "File", then "Print" on the Menu Bar)

  SITE 1
1990 - concrete culverts
Lat/Long: (GPS)
29°07.18N', 80°41.80'W
Loran C: 44396.7 - 61973.5

1994 - 195 ft. steel barge, Argoil
Lat/Long: (GPS)
29°07.07 'N, 80°41.58'W
Loran C: 44394.9 - 61972.3

1996 -
reef balls
Lat/Long: (GPS)
29°07.03'N, 80°41 .85'W
Loran C: 44396.1 - 61973.9
 

Site 1   is  10.8  nm  from the inlet.  The first culverts were placed on the site in 1990.   The culverts and barge are popular fishing sites. Both are also excellent locations for divers to see invertebrates not usually found in south  Florida. 

The 195ft. steel  barge, Argoil, is east of  the 1990 culverts.  It is intact and upright.

If seas are flat calm, look for two dozen  Reef Balls, south of the culverts. Large seabass are often around the Reef Balls.

Site 1 Photos, Argoil, Reef Balls

   SITE 2
1993 - concrete culverts
Lat/Long:
(GPS)
29°09.14', N, 80°40. 37'W
Loran C: 44406.6 - 61956.6

1994 - 76 ft.
steel ship, Semarca
Lat/Long: (GPS)
29°09.140'N, 80°40.658'W
Loran C: 44407.3 - 61959.7

North of 1997 culv. SCATTERED
29 09 .525N,80 40.802W
1997 - concrete culverts
Lat/Long:(GPS)
29°09.33'N, 80°40.61'W
Loran C: 44409.0 - 61959.0
  Site 2 is near Cracker Ridge and is a few miles  west of the Party Grounds natural reefs.  Several barge loads of culverts were placed near the center of the site in 1997.  In the early 80s, culverts were scattered to the North and NW of the 97 culverts. Use your bottom sounder  to search for  these scattered culverts. The 1993 culverts are east of the 1997 culverts. Site 2 is a very popular bottom fishing and trolling location. The 76 ft steel ship, Semarca, is on the south end of the site. Site 2 Photo, Semarca

SITE 3
1980 - 446 ft
.
USS Mindanao
Lat/Long: (GPS)
29°12.00'N, 80°44.87'W
Loran C: 44458.0 - 61982.0

1992 - concrete culverts
Lat/Long: (GPS)
29°11.63'N, 80°44.78'W
Loran C: 44454.3- 61982.0

1995 - 217 ft. ship, Rio Yuna
Lat/Long: (GPS)
29°11.71 'N, 80°44.78W
Loran C: 44455.2 - 61982.1

1995 - 100 ft.
tug, Alexandra McAllister
Lat/Long: (GPS)
29°11.63'N, 80°44.81'W
Loran C: 44454.4 - 61982.3

1995 - 81 ft.
tug, Thomas H
Lat/Long:(GPS)
29°11 .73'N, 80°44.93'W
Loran C: 44455.9 - 61982.6

1995 - 100 ft.
barge, Atlas
Lat/Long:
(GPS)
29°11.38'N, 80°45.01'W
Loran C: 44453.8 - 61984.6
  Site 3:  The former USS Mindanao, is the oldest artificial reef ship. She rests in 85 feet of water, 11 miles northeast of Ponce inlet. She is a 446 ft. World War II, Liberty ship. Her flat main deck is 60 ft. below the surface and lies in a general N-S direction. The superstructure was removed before the sinking. The wreck suffered damage during the 1995 winter storms and the bow is now to the NW separated from the hull. Schools of bait fish, tomtate grunts, mangrove snapper, and a few anchors are often seen in her open holds. Small clumps of ivory bush coral and encrusting sponges and tunicates are growing on the steel hull.
Site 3 Photos , Mindanao, Rio Yuna,
Mc Allister, Thomas H, Atlas.
The two sturdy tugs are upright and intact. But the former Caribbean trader, Rio Yuna, has been broken up by storms and by the nets of trawlers. The wooden main deck of the barge, Atlas, is now gone.

Schools of mangrove snapper, angelfish, amberjack, barracuda and spadefish are usually on the ships and the barge. Goliath grouper, cobia, tarpon and manta rays also visit the ships.

  
   SITE 4
1989 - concrete culverts
Lat/Long:
(GPS)
29°19.27'N, 80°44.67'W
Loran C: 44519.4 - 61959.0

1992 - concrete culverts/small barge
Lat/Long: (GPS)
29°19.17'N, 80°44.54'W
Loran C: 4451 7.5- 61958.4

1994-165 ft. steel ship, Maxine D
Lat/Long:
(GPS)
29°19.39'N, 80°44.82'W
Loran C: 44521.6 - 61960.2

2004-165 ft. steel Ship, Antilles Star
Lat/Long (GPS)
29° 19.200 N, 80° 44.770'W
Loran C 44519.4, 61960.2.


 

Site 4 is 17 nm northeast of the inlet. The first culverts were deposited near the center of the site in 1989. Additional deposits were made in 1992. Large masses of telesto and other soft corals are growing on the culverts. The soft corals and a variety of fish make Site 4 an excellent underwater photography and fishing site. Site 4 is often one of the first sites to clear after upwelling of cold, dirty water or after storms.


The Maxine D is a 165 ft. ship. She was placed on the site in 1994 and remains upright and intact. She lies in a general N-S direction.
Maxine D. Photo

Antilles Star Photo

The Antilles Star was placed on Site 4 south of the Maxine D on 6/29/04. On sinking she was lying on her side. After the hurricanes in 2004, she is almost upright . Click to here to see a  survey


  SITE 5
1990-concrete/steel from the old Port Orange bridge
Lat/Long:
(GPS)
29°07.17'N, 80°48.34'W
Loran C: 44437.8 - 62020.0

1997- NSB bridge concrete
Lat/Long:
(GPS)
29°07.1 4'N, 80°48.32'W
Loran C: 44437.4 - 62019.9

2002- concrete Port Orange bridge Fenders
Lat/Long: (GPS)
29°07.27N,80°48.36W
Loran C: 44438.8 - 62019.9

Lat/Long: (GPS)
29°07.251N,80°48.253W
Loran C: 44437.9 - 62019.1

Lat/Long: (GPS)
29°07.198N,80°48.223W
Loran C: 44436.9 - 62018.9
 

Site 5 is just east of Ponce Inlet. Clean material from the old Port Orange bridge and the New Smyrna Beach bridges were deposited on the site starting in 1990. Grouper, sea bass, flounder, mangrove snapper and variety of colorful soft corals are on the site. Because the site is only about 6 miles from the inlet, visibility may be 10 only feet near low tide. However in the summer, before and after cold water upwelling or later in the fall, after the huricanes have passsed, visibility is sometimes much better..

Site 5 Photo, 2002 Deposit

   SITE 6
1990/1995 - center culverts
Lat/Long:
(GPS)
29°03.04'N, 80°43. 36'W
Loran C: 44370.2 - 61995.6

1994 - NE culverts
Lat/Long:
(GPS)
29°03.21 'N, 80°43.19'W
Loran C: 44370.7 - 61994.5
  Site 6 is  9 nm  east  of  the inlet.  Concrete culverts were placed on the site in 1990 and 1995. The depth is approximately 60 feet. Additional culverts were added  to the NE corner of the site in 1994. Some the NE piles are 10 feet high. This site often has mangrove snapper and sheepshead. Whale sharks and large ocean sun fish have also been seen near Site 6. The center culverts are a good location for photographing colorful invertebrates.
  SITE 7
1991 - concrete culverts
Lat/Long: (GPS)
29°01.18'N, 80°41.44'W
Loran C: 44341.6 - 61987.1

1994 -water barge
Lat/Long:
(GPS)
29°01.22'N,80°41.03'W
Loran C: 44339.8 - 61984.3
  Site 7 is 11 nm  ESE of  the inlet. Several barge loads of culverts were placed on the site in 1997.  It is good site for mangrove snapper and sheepshead.

A  120 ft. steel  water barge was placed about 1/4 mile  east of the culverts in 1994.  The barge is upright, intact and is covered with variety of soft corals. Large grouper are sometimes on the barge in the early spring.

  SITE 8
1989 - concrete culverts
Lat/Long:
(GPS)
28°55.31'N, 80°42.63'W
Loran C: 44296.5 - 62011.0

1996 - concrete culverts
Lat/Long:
(GPS)
28°55.27'N, 80°42.68'W
Loran C: 44296.8 - 62011.7
  Site 8 is 11.5 nm  from  the  inlet  and only  a few miles offshore New Smyrna  It is good site to fish for mangrove snapper and other bottom fish. Being close inshore, visibility is often less than on all the other sites.

  SITE 9
1996 - Ship
Lat/Long:
(GPS)
29°21.24'N, 80°21.43'W
Loran C: 44400.4 - 61785.5

1996- The USN Intruder Planes are very scattered. Look a short distance to the southeast and to the east of the ship for the first few planes.


 
Site 9 is 33 nm from the inlet. It is a popular deep water, (135ft.) fishing site. In 1996,  several  USN Intruder aircraft and a 100 ft. ship were placed in the area. The ship is upright, intact and easy to find. However, the planes are very scattered and are not easy to find.

Because of the depth, and sometimes strong currents, this site is not recommended for sport diving.

 

SITE 10
1998 Center Piles -concrete from DOT
Lat/Long:
(GPS)
29°21 .46'N, 80°49.76'W
Loran C: 44570.4 - 61990.3


2003 - Two large piles of concrete culverts
NE pile

Lat/Long (GPS)
29°21. 56' N, 80° 49 .65 W.
Loran C: 44570.4,619989.1

SE pile
Lat/Long : (GPS)
29° 21.35' N, 80° 49.67W.
Loran C: 44568.8,619989.9

 
Site 10 is the most northern site. It is 17 nm from the inlet, offshore of Ormond Beach. The depth is 65-70 ft. In 1998, the first barge load of concrete material was placed near the center of the site. The piles are 5-10 feet high. In 1999, a barge load of concrete material was placed a short distance south of the 1998 deposit.

In June of 2003, two separate 15 ft piles of culverts ( 300 tons each) were deposited to the NE and SE of the center pile

Site 10  has a  large variety of fish.

  SITE 11
2001- concrete culverts at center of site
Lat/Long:
(GPS)
29°16.420'N, 80°41.916'W
Loran C: 44477.7- 61947.2

Four other high profile piles of  culverts are located  approximately 500 ft.
NW, NE, SE and SW  of the center pile.


 

Site 11  is 15 nm NE of the inlet. The first deposits were placed on the site in June 2001. Four large piles of culverts were placed 500 ft. to the NE, NW, SW and SE of the 20 feet high center pile. Do not anchor within in the piles. You may not be able to retrieve your anchor. The site has a variety of  fish and soft corals.

Site 11 Photo
, 2001 Deposit.

  SITE 12
1998 culverts near site center

Lat/Long:
(GPS)
29°11 .88'N, 80°46.52'W
Loran C: 44467.0 - 61993.5

2000 concrete material
Lat/Long:
(GPS)
29°11.84'N., 80°46.54'W
Loran C : 44466.8, 61994.2

2001 Broadway bridge concrete 
Lat/Long: (GPS)
29°11.93'N, 80°46.40'W
Loran C: 44466.8 61992.9

  Site 12 is 9 nm NE of the inlet. The 1989  culverts are a good location for bottom fishing for mangrove snapper, sheepshead, and seabass. It is also an excellent location for underwater marco-photography.

In the spring of 2000, a barge load of concrete material was placed south of 1998 culverts.

Broadway bridge material was added in April 2001 . The material is in scattered piles.

Site 12 is a good site to visit when Site 5 is crowded.
  SITE 13
1989 - car transport trailers/culverts
Lat/Long:
(GPS)
29°10.15'N, 80°41.64'W
Loran C: 44422.1 - 61963.8

2002- concrete utility poles
North  deposit
Lat/Long:
(GPS)
29°10.236, 80°41.521W
Loran C: 44422.2 - 61962.63

Middle  deposit
Lat/Long:
(GPS)
29°10.132N, 80°41.452W
Loran C: 44420.6- 62062.4

South deposit
Lat/Long: (GPS)
29°10.098N, 80°41.451W
Loran C: 44420.6- 62062.7
  Site 13 is 11.7 nm from the inlet.  It was started with several old car carriers and old culverts. In May of 2002, three deposits of very long, hollow concrete utility poles were placed NE , E and SE of the car carriers. Site 13 is a good place to stop and fish when going to or  from  the Party Grounds

Site 13 Photo , 2002 Deposit
.


 

The GPS latitude and longitude, (L/L) and LORAN C TD's listed above were determined using separate GPS and LORAN units. The WGS - 84 datum setting were used on WAAS and
regular GPS units. The L/L measurements were made after the GPS selective availability signal was turned off in May 2000.


If you use GPS to navigate, use the GPS L/L's listed above. Do not use L/L readings calculated, by your GPS unit, from LORAN TDs. The WGS-84 datum setting should be set on your GPS unit. If you use DGPS,use the datum setting recommended by the manufacturer of your unit.

When using the above L/L coordinates, the  L/L display should be set for degrees and parts of minutes, not seconds. On most GPS units, the 0.00x part of the Lat/Long display can change as much as 0.006 min when you have not moved.

If you use LORAN, use the TDs listed above. The above TDs were made on dedicated LORAN units. .

It is not unusual to take 15-30 minutes to locate a ship. Once you are able to verify its location using your bottom sounder, log
your GPS L/L for future use.

If you think any the above listed numbers are not correct,you can help by telling us what
readings you believe to be correct. Click on "E Mail us" below.


Sketch of Reef Site Locations

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