Artificial Reef Sites offshore of Volusia County,Florida
www.volusiareefs.org

2/25/13 updates to GPS locations and site descriptions

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Site 1 is one of the four sites permitted by the Corps of Engineers in 1979. It  is 10.8  nm  from the inlet.  The first culverts were placed on the center of the site in 1990.  The culverts and barge are popular fishing locations. These are also excellent locations for divers to see invertebrates not usually found in the keys and south Florida. 

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

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

Site 1 Photos, Argoil, Reef Balls

In July of 2010, 500 tons of clean concrete culverts were  placed on South  part of site. The pile is approx 17 ft high. The depth is 74 ft. 

Site 4 is one of the four sites permitted by the Corps of Engineers in 1979. It is 17 nm northeast of the inlet. It is sometimes is  called  Rainbow Reef by local fishermen. In August of 2012, the Volusia County Council  passed a resolution naming Site 4, John Lane Reef in honor of his more than 30 years of work in the development of the artificial reefs of Volusia County. John is also the author and webmaster  of www.wolusiareefs.org.

The first culverts were deposited near the center of the site in 1989. Additional deposits were made in 1992 in the SE part of the site.The depth is approximately 75-80  ft. 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 major 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 165 ft 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 now almost upright . Click to here to see a  survey.

On 6/10/11, a barge load  of  large clean concrete culverts was placed  in the NNE area  of  the site. The height  of the deposit is approximately 10 ft.

On 6/13/11,  a barge load  of  large clean concrete culverts was placed  in the NNW area  of the Site.The height  of the deposit is approximately 10 ft.

On 7/7/11,  a barge load  of  large clean concrete culverts was placed  in the SW area  of the Site.The height  of the deposit is approximately 9 ft.

Site 5 is east of Ponce Inlet. The depth is 65 feet.Deposits were started in 1990 with clean material from the old Port Orange bridge. Because the site is only about 5 nautical 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.Grouper, sea bass, flounder, mangrove snapper and variety of colorful soft corals and many boats are usually on the site.
In 1997 concrete railings  from the old New Smyrna Beach  bridge were deposited near the center of the site.

In 2002  two barge  loads of  bridge fenders from the Port  Orange bridge were deposited  on

In late June of 2011, two barge loads of clean culverts were deposited in the NW and NE parts of the site. At  both locations the culverts are in two lines appoximately 7 feet high and  80 feet long.

On August 7 of 2012, a. barge load of clean concrete culverts and clean concrete material was deposited in the western part of the site. The material is in two lines appoximately 6 feet high and  80 feet long.

On August 24 of 2012, a. barge load of clean concrete culverts  was deposited in the Eastern  part of the site. The material is in two lines appoximately 5 feet high and  80 feet long.

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.

1998 Center pile -concrete from DOT
Lat/Long: (GPS)
29°21 .46'N, 80°49.77'W

2003-NE pile
Lat/Long (GPS)
29°21. 56' N, 80° 49 .65 W.

2003 SE pile 
Lat/Long : (GPS)
29° 21.35' N, 80° 49.67W.

2010 NW  pile 
Lat/Long (GPS)
29°21.638'N,  80°49.966'W

2011 SE pile 

2012 W Deposit 

Site 11  is 15 nm NE of the inlet. The depth is appproximately 80 feet.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 because you may not be able to retrieve your anchor. Since the first deposit in 2001, the site has a developed a  variety of  fish and soft corals.  Look for schools of bait fish near the surface to locate the piles.

Site 11 Photo , 2001 Deposit. 

The GPS latitude and longitude, (L/L)  listed above were determined using GPS  units. 

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

It is not unusual to take 15-30 minutes to locate a deposit. Once you are able to verify the 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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