Sunken Vessel History
The Markham being towed out to sea for sinking.
For over 75 years, the North Carolina Division of Marine Fisheries has helped build artificial reefs for the public. Mainly used for recreational purposes, like fishing and diving, these artificial reefs contain more history than one may think. Most of these reefs contain marl, concrete pipe, and reef balls, but some comprise much more. In addition to the thousands of tons of rock and rubble placed in the reefs, the Division of Marine Fisheries sinks vessels. Most of these vessels are out of commission, but still bring their own bit of history to the Carolina coast.
These vessels include barges, fishing boats, trawlers, sailboats, and dredges, as well as larger vessels, such as the World War II Liberty and Assault Transport ship Yancey. The Yancey is an Assault Transport vessel commissioned in Iwo Jima, The Korean War, and the Cuban missile crisis. Yancey also received five battle stars from the Pacific theater — in World War II and the Cuban Missile Crisis — and now she rests at the bottom of Artificial Reef AR-302. Yancey is not the only vessel with a story; every vessel sunk by the Artificial Reef Program has one. Sadly, some of the stories have been lost over time, but the information presented below gives a snapshot of what is known about the vessels, including photographs, used to build artificial reefs off the North Carolina coast.
Vessels |
History of Vessel |
Deployment Date |
---|---|---|
115 ft. LCU-1468 |
|
1/1987 |
185 ft. Advance II |
|
6/1994 |
Vessels |
History of Vessel |
Deployment Date |
---|---|---|
440 ft. Liberty Ship |
|
11/1978 |
440 ft. Liberty Ship |
|
12/1974 |
Vessels | History of Vessel | Deployment Date |
---|---|---|
130 ft. Fishing Vessel |
1/1989 |
Vessels | History of Vessel | Deployment Date |
---|---|---|
174 ft. Yard Oiler |
1/1989 |
Vessels | History of Vessel | Deployment Date |
---|---|---|
459 ft. Assault Transport Ship News release 1 |
|
8/1990 |
Vessels | History of Vessel | Deployment Date |
---|---|---|
183 ft. Buoy Tender News clipping 1 |
|
7/1988 |
439 ft. US Navy Cable Layer News clipping 1 |
|
7/1988 |
Vessels | History of Vessel | Deployment Date |
---|---|---|
440 ft. Liberty Ship |
6/1974 | |
104 ft. Navy Tug |
|
11/2000 |
Sportfishing vessel |
8/1977 | |
40 ft. USCG launch vessel | 1986 |
Vessels | History of Vessel | Deployment Date |
---|---|---|
140 ft. Menhaden Vessel |
1986 |
Vessels | History of Vessel | Deployment Date |
---|---|---|
AR-330 320 ft. Landing Craft Repair Ship |
|
8/5/1992 |
107 ft. Tug |
In memory of former Artificial Reef Coordinator, Jim Francesconi | 5/7/2016 |
200 ft. Deck Barge TBM IX |
6/21/2011 | |
45 ft. Ferro-cement Sailboat |
6/1/2012 | |
55 ft. Steel Sailboat |
6/11/2009 | |
67 ft. Tug Tramp |
5/7/2016 |
Vessels | History of Vessel | Deployment Date |
---|---|---|
116 ft. Tug Titan News clipping 1 |
|
7/2004 |
Vessels | History of Vessel | Deployment Date |
---|---|---|
241 ft. Barge LC-16 |
|
1994 |
Vessels | History of Vessel | Deployment Date |
---|---|---|
320 ft. US Army Corps of Engineers Dredge Markham |
10/1995 | |
215 ft. US Army Corps of Engineers Dredge |
|
5/1998 |
150 ft. YTT Barge Alton Lennon |
10/1987 |
Vessels | History of Vessel | Deployment Date |
---|---|---|
180 ft. menhaden vessel |
|
5/18/2005 |
Vessels | History of Vessel | Deployment Date |
---|---|---|
110 ft. Water Barge |
3/2000 | |
180 ft. Barge HT-85 |
1/1987 |
Vessels | History of Vessel | Deployment Date |
---|---|---|
65 ft. Tug Coopedge |
5/1993 | |
65 ft. Tug A.T. Piner |
5/1993 |
Vessels | History of Vessel | Deployment Date |
---|---|---|
174 ft. Jell II | 7/1991 | |
55 ft. Tug Admiral Charlie | 11/2004 | |
AR-445 Photo |
AR-455
Vessels | History of Vessel | Deployment Date |
---|---|---|
104 ft. Navy Tug Pawtucket |
Built in 1943 in Port Arthur, Texas | 7/2004 |
Dale Ward Reef |
3/2002 |
Vessels | History of Vessel | Deployment Date |
---|---|---|
330ft. Barge | 1990 | |
40 ft. USCG launch vessel |
1990 |
Vessels | History of Vessel | Deployment Date |
180 ft. Mance Lassiter |
6/1996 |