OFFSHORE CAPE MAY – The second of three caisson gates slated for the Artificial Reef Program was deployed Sept. 26 on the Cape May Reef.
According to a release, a crew from Marine Fisheries sunk the 140 foot long by 40 feet high by 25 feet wide caisson gate on the Cape May Reef. This project was dedicated in memory of Ed Kramer and sponsored jointly by the Cape May County Party and Charter Boat Association and TheSportFishingFund.org.
It has a vertical clearance of 35 feet.
The first gate was deployed on the Atlantic City Reef in late July, and the third gate will be deployed elsewhere on the reef network.
This deployment rests at the following coordinates:
- 38 degrees 50.699 x west 074 degrees 43.023
A caisson gate is a barrier used to dam off the open end of a dry dock, and is constructed of heavy gauge steel with several tons of ballast in the keel.
Due to the nature of construction and heavy gauge of steel, this deployment will serve as habitat for up to 150 various types of marine species for the next 75 years or more.
