It's a big deal, and it's here now, soon to be sunk on May 27. The Vandenberg, to be an artificial reef just south of Key West, was a war ship from World War II that's been cleaned and picked apart so there are no contaminants or pollutants which would harm the real reef once it's sunk. This cost millions and millions of dollars, and took at least ten years, I think. It's going to be the second largest artificial reef in the world, at 528 feet long. It'll be in 140 feet of water, good for scuba but not so accessible for Key West snorkeling. If you can freedive down to forty feet, you will be able to see the dishes, which will be at that level. But too bad it's not a little bit shallower for snorkelers.
She has to be sunk by June 1, 2009, which is the official start of hurricane season. Hurricanes can seriously mess up sinking plans! Anyone who has a boat has to stay outside a one-mile radius of the deployment area, so I'll be curious about what we'll be able to see when we go out to watch. It'll be located south of the Cayman wreck, convenient for dive boats out of Stock Island as well as Key West.
