WOW! Have you guys heard of this????

[Brandon]

Similar (ish) but on a much smaller scale on Maui.
By the wreck of the St Anthony are lots of tires embedded in concrete for an "articifial reef"

Sadly someone discovered (way too late) that nothing likes to grow on or in tires.
Sometimes something hides underneat it but ...

Still nothing like the scale of this disaster

I've dove that site too... very little (if any) sea life growing on or around the tires, and just a couple fishes in and around it.

Too bad... it'd be an awesome dive site with a successful artificial reef around it. Still cool without one though.

Gotta get a picture of me sitting on the toilet the next time I dive it...

-Brandon.

 

[IceIce]

I know in Bali they tried to make the artificial reef by tying bamboo frame. Some as rectangular, some shaped like hut.
It makes more sense to me.

What I can't help to ask. Why they were so sure about the project and dared to cover a huge area with tyre? How if they were wrong... and they are wrong.
Look at the consequences.

 

[drbill]

It seems like some marine biologist somewhere would have known this wouldn't work. What a mess!

Certainly agree with this. I spoke against a similar proposal here decades ago that fortunately didn't happen. There are a few scattered tires here, and some are used by octopus and others for hiding places. Some encrusting algae and invertebrates do grow on them, but...

 

[Walter]

There were never good intentions.

You are mistaken. Civic groups volunteered countless hours to band these tire together and drop them off shore because they believed it was actually good for the environment. I remember the movement well. I'd certainly be willing to volunteer a bunch of dives to help clean them up. Of course, 30 years from now, someone will be posting there were never good intentions involved in removing the tires...............

 

[Rick Murchison]

From what I've seen of tires in the Gulf it's easy to see where folks would think it's a good idea. Though not much other than barnacles and the occasional oyster will attach to 'em, lone tires on the bottom below storm surge depth do attract critters, and typically have several living inside and one or two larger fish hanging around the outside hoping something will emerge that's edible.
I'd think the problem tires could easily be hauled into deep water and dumped - or floated out per Fred's suggestion. As long as they aren't rolling around they do provide some habitat, and no damage ...
Rick

 

[Scubaguy62]

And to think in Florida we pay $2.50 tire dispossal fee, per tire. I'd keep the money and volunteer dive time to clean it up!

 

[orangelemon]

The odd tyre or two on the dive sites here in Thailand normally provides good shelter for critters and even bamboo sharks but that many tyres well you Americans certainly think big !
Another thing about tyres and Thailand is that they turn the big ones inside out and make them into bins (trash cans ?)

 

[Walter]

As long as they aren't rolling around they do provide some habitat, and no damage ...
Rick

I could be wrong, but I believe there is a chemical breakdown that is harmful.

 

[Scuba_Steve]

I could be wrong, but I believe there is a chemical breakdown that is harmful.

Civic groups volunteered countless hours to band these tire together and drop them off shore because they believed it was actually good for the environment.

Kinda makes these guys look a little dumb doesn't it?

Maybe it's rocket science, I don't know, but most folks gut reaction would be that it's probably not a good idea given what tires consist of, so a little bit of expertise in the area would have been a keen idea prior to dumping.

Yet another dumb idea, poorly thought out, with the usual consequences. Wouldn't be america without it. (That's includes Taxada in this case as well.)

sweet.

 

[Walter]

Kinda makes these guys look a little dumb doesn't it?

No. It makes them look like a good group of folks trying to help, but working with bad info. The scientists providing the info were wrong. Did they simply not give the situation enough study before endorsing the concept? I don't know. The folks volunteering their time to accomplish two good deeds (eliminating the nightmare of tires in land fills and building reefs) do not look dumb in any way shape or form. Hind sight is 20/20. What were you doing to help the environment in the mid 70s?