Have you ever been scuba diving on an Artificial Reef? If correctly done, they are some of the most helpful things done to protect our ecosystem. Why is that? Well, when you look at the loss of coral reefs due to people touching them and increased acidity in some of the worlds oceans, an actual coral reef does not have the ability to sustain the population that it once did. So when I see stories about the one provided, it makes me shake my head. We have a chance to correct some of the things we have done wrong. We have the ability to provide a home to millions of our ocean friends, whether they are coral, snails, shrimp, fish or sharks. All are needed to create a successful and flourishing ecosystem underwater. Then lets throw in the tourism dollars coming to the state and municipalities that serve those artificial reefs. Morehead City, NC is a great example of successful artificial reefs. The Aeolus, has some of the most diverse fish populations that I have ever seen in one spot underwater. At one time, Batfish came between my dive buddy and myself in such a number that I couldn’t even see my dive buddy. This is some of the benefits that an artificial reef can provide. But if we don’t take steps to create them to help out Mother Nature, they won’t happen.
http://www.foxnews.com/us/2013/10/24/forrestal-navy-first-supercarrier-sold-for-1-penny/ So stories like this one make me wonder, what are we doing? The USS Forestall had a group that wanted to prep her for life as an artificial reef. Pretty sure that they could have come up with the payment price. Instead, we do something that just defies some logic on all business aspects. I will be a little silent on the economics of this. I don’t think anyone could come up with a decent answer on this. Then again, anyone could explain almost anything to make sense in their own mind. People think that I am a little nuts for scuba diving. Maybe I just would like to do it on another artificial reef…? Source: www.ScubaShea.com