RCN Reefs

From early times, man has created artificial reefs for a variety of reasons: some to formbarriers to hold back creeks or streams, others to aid in rudimentary fishing whileyet others were to create habitat for marine creatures, primarily, and for recreationaldivers, generally. An additional reason for the more recent planned and executed creationof artificial reefs is to preserve historical wrecks from over-anxious divers and to give thesedivers a preferred underwater site to explore; an added bonus is to aid local tourism.This story builds on the idea that former surface vessels can be used to make artificial reefsthat serve as a habitat for marine critters and as a prime dive site for recreational divers.The story centres around five former Royal Canadian Navy destroyers, one former RCNmaintenance vessel, as well as one former Air Canada Boeing 737and one former coastalfreighter. Each of these artificial reefs is located in selected coastal waters off the west andeast coasts of North America.Read how a cool beer combined with a paper napkin were the genesis of a world classorganisation that set the standard for changing former warships into artificial reefs that hasbeen copied by diving enthusiasts in both north and south hemispheres.