As part of its ongoing artificial reef program, Palm Beach County’s Department of Environmental Resources Management (ERM) scuttled the coastal freighter Celtic Crusader. The ship was sunk in 225 feet of water approximately 2.5 miles northeast of Lake Worth Inlet in a permitted artificial reef site. The approximate coordinates of the deployment site are 26˚47.89’ N and 79˚59.45’ W. This site has received artificial reef deployments in the past including the old Royal Park Bridge, a 150-foot barge and a 60-foot steel hull sailboat.
The vessel, including the costs to sink her, was purchased at a cost of $75,000. The West Palm Beach Fishing Club (WPBFC) donated $10,000 toward the purchase and asked that it be named the “John Rybovich Endowment Reef.” In the 1960s, prominent boat builder John Rybovich was instrumental in establishing Palm Beach County’s first artificial reef. The WPBFC has a special endowment fund which supports marine enhancement projects, like the creation of this new reef, as well as youth education initiatives such as an annual scholarship for marine biology students at Palm Beach Atlantic University. Additionally, the WPBFC attached two fish attracting devices (FADs) to the ship prior to sinking. The FADS will increase the ship’s profile in the water column and make the reef more attractive to baitfish and popular species like wahoo, blackfin tuna and sailfish. The WPBFC spent an additional $4,000 on this unique aspect of the project.
Before the ship could be used for reefing, it underwent extensive preparation. All floatables, debris and pollutants were removed and sampling and testing for asbestos and polychlorinated bi-phenyls (PCBs) were completed. The U.S. Coast Guard, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Florida Department of Environmental Protection and ERM were all involved in clearing the vessel for reefing.
The Celtic Crusader is a 265-foot general cargo ship that was built in the Netherlands in 1970. Its name was changed to Supremity and later to Korimu, which is the name currently on the hull. The ship weighed about 1,768 tons when fully outfitted. There are two deck levels on the vessel, and the beam is about 44.5 feet long. The ship has a vertical profile approaching 80 feet which will easily fall under the 50-foot minimum navigational clearance requirements for artificial reefs. This ship was reportedly pictured in the 2006 Miami Vice movie.
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