Support is growing for a recently decommissioned Navy ship to be scuttled as a recreational dive site in Jervis Bay.
Federal member for Gilmore, Joanna Gash has made multiple requests in the past for the Navy to scuttle a ship in the area. The ship wreck would be a popular attraction for recreational divers and fishermen.
Plans to sink the former destroyer USS Arthur W. Radford off the Maryland coast this spring to serve as a fish reef will apparently not be affected by the Navy's decision to recycle, rather than sink, four other retired warships.
The weather could not have been more perfect as the Outrageous V pulled away from the dock on Tuesday morning. The goal of the day was to sink an old barge, donated by Taylor Brothers Marine Construction, to the Artificial Reef Program. The Eastern Carolina Artificial Reef Association acquired the barge about 9 months ago and has been working tirelessly to prepare the vessel to become the next victim of the Graveyard of the Atlantic. The tow to the AR-330 site (Indra) took approximately 4 hours. Once the barge was moved into position she was attached the Indra with a cable about 150 feet off the stern. As the soft patches on either side were removed the workers on deck began pumping sea water into the bilge, all that was left to do was wait. Once the soft patches started dipping below the surface it was time for the workers to break down the pumps and clear off the deck, it was only a matter of time now.