WWII minesweeper sunk in Atlantic for reef

Ally · 12-12-2007, 04:18 PM

Quote:

INDIAN RIVER INLET, Del. — A 175-foot World War II-era Navy ship has been sent to the bottom of the Atlantic as part of an ongoing effort to attract marine life.

The ship, the Gregory Poole — known during its Navy stint as the minesweeper Cruise — was sunk Monday about 26 miles southeast of Indian River Inlet. The Delaware Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control said the manmade reef will be managed through a joint agreement between Delaware, New Jersey, and Maryland.

The reef site is an equal distance from Indian River Inlet; Cape May, N.J.; and Ocean City, Md.

The Cruise served the Navy from 1943 to 1946, when it was decommissioned. It was struck in 1972 and bought by a North Carolina fishing company the following year.

http://www.navytimes.com/news/2007/1...weeper_071211/

**glynneco** · 12-12-2007, 11:51 PM

There's a cool wreck there called the china wreck. No one knows precisely what ship it is. It's in about 70 ft of water. The currents are strong and the vis poor to horrible. The ship as far as everyone believs is a British sailing ship that was carring a cargo of china...hence the moniker. It's location is a very, very poorly gaured secret. Folks have been diving it for years harvesting china from it for the thrill I guess. Most of the china has been acreted and is difficult to remove without tools. The diving is challenging because of the curents. I watched two divers get blown off the wreck while trying to untangle their wrck reel. A long story there. Suffice it to say task loading is an issue for even experienced folks.