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The
Freighter Anna |
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The
Freighter Anna |
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| The Anna, a
225-foot freighter served many purposes over her lifetime. She once served the shipyards
of Scotland and ran supplies during World War II. In 1981 she was confiscated for
drug smuggling off the coast of Florida. After collecting barnacles for five years,
she was then purchased by the Jacksonville Offshore Sportfishing Club and the Greater
Jacksonville Kingfish Tournament Committee. With the help of the Jacksonville Reef
Research Team and the Navy Explosive Ordinance Team, the Anna now lies on her
starboard-side 110 feet below the Atlantic Ocean providing a habitat for sea life.
Her placement as an artificial reef occurred on July 16th, 1986 offshore Jacksonville
(45128.8-61808.8).
To make her sink, the Navy's Explosive Ordinance Team used explosives to open the hull. On May 2nd, 1987, nine and a half months after the Anna was sent to the bottom by explosives, Jacksonville Reef Research Team members Jeff Brayton and Dennis Short surveyed the site. During the survey they found that in the short time since she was sunk, the center of the vessel had collapsed. It will be interesting to see how long the Anna will endure, compared to vessels sunk by other means. The Anna is home to an abundance of fish with lots of nooks and crannies for them to hide. This may be a plus for the use of explosives; however a question is raised as to whether it will decrease the long-term reliability of her structure. Through the Jacksonville Reef Research Team's monitoring dives, the Team will continue to study artificial reefs like the Anna. The Team will continue to learn and discover how to keep our oceans growing and productive. Examples of underwater photos on the Anna follows: Click on the images below to view a larger image.
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Contact Information
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