British Columbia has a new addition to its waters - the artificial reef YOGN-82. A former US WWII gasoline barge, YOGN-82 has been part of Catalyst Paper’s Powell River breakwater for some years, finally being delivered to it's new home this past Saturday by the Artificial Reef Society of BC. Over the coming years it will become a bustling marine life habitat and a welcome addition beneath BC.
The ARSBC, which has sunk more ships and aircraft than any other non-profit group in the world to create marine habitat, has worked and consulted with Catalyst Paper for the sinking of their vessel YOGN-82. In addition to the letters of endorsement from the Tla’amin Nation (Sliammon), the Regional District of Powell River and the City of Powell River, approvals were granted by federal government agencies following strict preparation and cleaning guidelines. The YOGN-82 is the first of four ships planned to be sunk for reefing. The break-water vessels are all American Second World War surplus which were purchased over time by the mill. Constructed from cast reinforced concrete, they have survived afloat and have been part of Powell River’s seascape, acting as a breakwater system protecting the mill’s log pond and foreshore. Ranging from 109 to 128 meters long, and weighing between 6000 and 8000 tons, these historic relics are the last of their kind afloat anywhere in the world. Consequently, this project has the potential to become a significant scuba dive tourism attraction for British Columbia, as well as hugely positive effect on marine life in the area. Accessible only by boat, the ships will be prepared in succession and sunk within easy scuba swimming distance from each other, effectively creating a cluster of historic wrecks. These wartime relics are already well past their lifespan. In essence they are already floating artificial reefs, based on the generations of biodiversity in place on their hulls. When fully submerged, these ships will form a pinnacle oasis for marine flora and fauna settlement with scale and habitat complexity. If you want to explore this new marine habitat, you can book a dive charter through Pacific Pro Dive & Marine Adventures. |