New Reefs Are Coming To Pensacola....Hopefully!

[mike_s]

If you watch the video of the news story, 50 seconds in to the video they show a picture of the reef structures approved. It seems to be some type rock or artificial rock. They say they are going to drop 19 of them off of Pensacola Beach.

they looked like the "Reef Cakes" that Mike Rowe made on Dirty Jobs in one episode.


similar to these (see pic below and additional pics of other styles at http://www.reefball.org/reef_ball_styles.htm)

 

[deeper thoughts]

thnx for the link

 

[mike_s]

Here is a video clip of how they make them. this clip isn't all of what was on the show. Just the "ball process". They also showed how to make the reef cake also. but I can't find a clip of it. but you can see some "reef cakes" already done for a few seconds in this segment.


[youtubehq]jGp4GGW7_wY[/youtubehq]

 

[GLENFWB]

The charter boat captains have been quietly making their own reefs for years. I can remember when I was in high school (a few years ago...okay late 70's) and a guy hired some of us to go out on his boat on a midnight mission. He needed us to help lift some "structure" in the water for his private reef.

I suspect those low concrete structures are the only thing that has a good chance of staying intact that close to shore.

Too bad they can't drop out some old small (under 50 ft) boats, etc... as part of the dive attraction so that you can do them as a shore dive.

but I'm guessing that a good hurricane would just break them up and wash them up on the beach eventually? right?

 

[terrylowe]

Thanks for showing the picture. I would have been thinking that I came across some fossilized dinosaur poo and would have contacted local museums!

 

[mrmccoy]

They dumped "reef balls" in lake ponchatrain but I'm sure they are smaller then the ones planned for the gulf. I wasn't able to watch the video but is there a set date for when they will be in place?

 

[Dr Dive]

If you watch the video of the news story, 50 seconds in to the video they show a picture of the reef structures approved. It seems to be some type rock or artificial rock. They say they are going to drop 19 of them off of Pensacola Beach.

Interesting. I had to watch it a second time, but it's there. This type of reef material is deployed differently than the usual 'drop and hope' deployment. This material is usually set on a pole sunk into the substrate, with the disks stacked on top. It is akin to the plan to sink piling reefs west of Pensacola Pier, that will stand up independent of shifting sand and remain within a set depth from the suface. They will retain a fixed position, fixed depth and will resist subsidence. Very cool. I'm so excited about this deployment. I don't know what's on tap for Pickens, but I'm sure it will be equally cool.

Dr Dive
www.drdive.com
drdive@drdive.com

 

[GLENFWB]

Interesting....thanks for the info. Captain!

Interesting. I had to watch it a second time, but it's there. This type of reef material is deployed differently than the usual 'drop and hope' deployment. This material is usually set on a pole sunk into the substrate, with the disks stacked on top. It is akin to the plan to sink piling reefs west of Pensacola Pier, that will stand up independent of shifting sand and remain within a set depth from the suface. They will retain a fixed position, fixed depth and will resist subsidence. Very cool. I'm so excited about this deployment. I don't know what's on tap for Pickens, but I'm sure it will be equally cool.

Dr Dive
www.drdive.com
drdive@drdive.com

 

[MRXRAY]

Navarre Beach is working on a similar project but the project is moving slowly.

 

[algulfdiver]

What they do is jet a steel pipe down in the sand, depth depends on depth of water, then place these round reefs made of a course rock over the pipe. They can be stacked at what ever hight.

Artificial Reef Ecosystems