|
Governor's River Walk Reef is an unusual artificial reef in that it is made up of 4 ships plus limerock and concrete "corridors" between the ships, making it a unique and very popular dive. Varied and numerous fish species can be observed in and around the reef due to the diversity of habitats. It can be difficult diving this reef because of strong currents, but if caught on a mild current/good vis day, it is very exciting. Reef Name – Governor's River Walk ReefReef Type – 4 ships, 1200 tons limerock boulders, 800 tons of concrete bridge materials Permit Site – Palm Beach 8 Date Deployed – February/March, 2002 Depth (ft) – 90 ft. Relief (ft) -- 25 ft. ave., 44 ft. max. Unique Aspects – Governor's River Walk Reef consists of 4 ships each approximately 180 ft. long, limerock boulder and concrete corridors connecting the ships; all can be seen on one tank. Latitude – Longitude – ShaSha Boekanier 26° 45.064 N 800 00.606 W St. Jacques 26° 45.083 N 800 00.606 W Thozina 26° 45.089 N 800 00.593 W Gilbert Sea 26° 45.176 N 800 00.616 W TABLE OF CONTENTS: Location: Design and Materials:  The 185 ft. M/V SHASHA BOEKANIER was first built in Hamburg, Germany in 1962, and originally called the M/V RICHARD RACHMANN. It was used to haul cargo in Europe. In the 1970s the ship was renamed the M/V RICHARD II and in the 1980s the WEGA III. Although the ship sailed under 3 names, it maintained its registry in Hamburg, Germany. The ship arrived in the Caribbean region in 1997 under Belize registry changing its name to the M/V SHASHA BOEKANIER. The ship maintained a regular service between Miami and Haiti. The vessel was impounded in April 2001 after the crew was caught smuggling cocaine aboard. 
 Photo copyright: Linton Creel (March 2006) The 174 ft. M/V ST. JACQUES was built at the same shipyard as the M/V SHASHA BOEKANIER in Hamburg, Germany in 1955 as a dry cargo carrier. It was originally the M/S KLAUS BLOCK, but other names it sailed under are SUDERELV (1964), TILLIA DORIS (1969), DOLORIS (1987), and DEBORAH JEAN (1993). The ship sunk in 1978, was raised and later sailed out of Limassol, Cypress for several years. In 1989 the ship was laid up in Belgium and put back in service in Great Britain. In 1993 the ship made its way over to the Caribbean sailing under the Honduras flag eventually being renamed the M/V ST. JACQUES making routine trips from Haiti to Miami. The ship was seized for cocaine smuggling in September 2000 and again on July 11, 2001. 
The 175 ft. M/V GILBERT SEA was built in the Netherlands in 1966 and originally named the M/S GEULBORG in the Netherlands. It sailed under several additional names including the M/V PARADISE EXPRESS and M/V MIRANDA. The ship was registered under the Honduras flag when seized by U.S. Customs on June 5, 2001, containing cocaine and illegal aliens aboard. 
The 174 ft. M/V THOZINA was built at the same shipyard as the M/V ST. JACQUES and M/V SHASHA BOEKANIER in Hamburg, Germany in 1957 as a dry cargo carrier, originally the M/S LISA EICHMANN, purchased and owned by J. Eichmann of Hamburg Germany. In 1960 the ship was sold and was renamed the NEREUS in 1961. The ship came to the Caribbean sometime during the 1970s still known as the NEREUS. In 1987 the ship was sold and renamed the CAVALIER STAR. In 1993 the ship was renamed the ARAWAK STAR, but the name was soon changed back to the CAVALIER STAR in 1995. The ship then changed hands again and was named the M/V SEA QUEEN in 1998. Finally in 2000 the ship was named the M/V THOZINA out of Panama and was primarily traveling between Miami and Haiti. The vessel was seized by U.S. Custom's Service in early 2002 as a result of the crew smuggling drugs into the Port of Miami. Cleanup and scuttling costs for the SHASHA BOEKANIER, ST. JACQUES, and GILBERT SEA were about $100,000; and the THOZINA cost $32,000. Funds came from the Vessel Registration Fee Trust Fund and the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission's Artificial Reef Program. All ships had large holes cut below the water line that llowed the ship to sink upright and not use explosives. 
The front portions of the wheelhouses of the M/V ST. JACQUES and M/V GILBERT SEA had seascape murals including moray eels, sea turtles, sharks, species of tropical fish as well as other sea life painted on by distinguished local artist Doug Bolly. The 8-day effort by the artist was free-of-charge. Until covered over by sea life, the murals provided unique photo ops during dives! During the summer 2005, 800 tons of concrete bridge material was deployed between the M/V ST. JACQUES and the M/V GILBERT SEA. Later in the summer an additional 1200 tons of limerock boulders were placed between the M/V ST. JACQUES and the M/V THOZINA and between the M/V THOZINA and the M/V GILBERT SEA. The concrete/limerock enhances this artificial reef by creating visual "corridors" between the ships for divers and also creating greater habitat diversity for marine life. 
A memorial statue was placed at the northern tip of the M/V SHASHA BOEKANIER in the summer 2005 by the Delray Beach police and firefighters to honor Firefighter Peter L. Firehock who lost his life. Monitoring:  Photo copyright: Linton Creel Fish: For a complete list of fish observed at Governor's River Walk Reef, go to R.E.E.F's database at http://www.reef.org/data/twa/geogform.htm [External Link] and enter 33010198 for the site. Benthics:
|
|
 |
 |
 CoastalResources |
|
Lakes,
Estuaries and Lagoons |
|
Mosquito Control |
|
Natural Areas |
|
Permitting Regulation |
|
Construction Contracts |
|
|
 |
