Fairfield New Venture newest Alabama Gulf Coast artificial reef

Fairfield New Venture newest Alabama Gulf Coast artificial reef

Alabama’s soon-to-be-newest shipwreck reef – New Venture, a 250 ft. long and 56 ft. wide former research vessel, is scheduled to be flooded and sunk about 20 miles south of Orange Beach on Wednesday, June 20.
The shipwreck reef is designed to result in significant ecological benefits to the offshore artificial reef system, and the site will be a destination for both visiting and local divers, anglers and ecotourists on the Alabama Gulf Coast
According to the Alabama Marine Resources Division, the coordinates will be 29 54.052N 87 32.893W. Weather permitting, the flooding process will begin at 8 a.m., with the vessel hopefully on bottom by noon. Two dives by Marine Resources will be conducted before any other divers will be allowed to descend on the wreck. Marine Resources’ enforcement personnel will be on site and maintaining a safe working area. Once Marine Resources divers have completed their work dives, enforcement personnel will allow other vessels to enter the area. For the safety of workers and divers, boaters are asked to maintain the boundary being enforced.
According to reports by Alabama Department of Conservation and Natural Resources, New Venture will be reefed 20 miles south of Orange Beach in 120 feet of water. The top of the structure will be between 55 and 60 feet below the surface. Any deployed reefs must have a minimum of 50 feet clearance from the surface.
When divers finally see New Venture on the bottom of the Gulf, it will only the stripped hull of the ship with holes in the sides of the ship to create pass-throughs.
The shipwreck reef is designed to result in significant ecological benefits to the offshore artificial reef system, and the site will be a destination for both visiting and local divers, anglers and ecotourists on the Alabama Gulf Coast. This $970,000 project is being funded by a grant MRD received from the National Fish & Wildlife Foundation.
New Venture will be deployed near The LuLu, a 271-foot coastal freighter that was deployed in 2013 with tons of publicity and entertainment on a floating stage, orchestrated by local businessman and philanthropist Mac McAleer. The Alabama Gulf Coast Reef and Restoration Foundation (AGCRRF) spearheaded a fundraising drive to be able to sink The LuLu. McAleer was the main sponsor of The LuLu project.