New San Clemente Reef

[Bmorgan]

It looks like they started the new reef project yesterday. It is just outside and south of Seal Rock. Hopefully everything goes to plan.

[Bob Ballew]

supposed to be in 32 to 50' of water...perfect for free diving....

[rhyne]

this sounds like a really cool project. I can't wait to hear how it develops.

[Matty51]

only problem is at Seal Rock there are always some sea lions and seals. Hints the name lol

[Bill McIntyre]

only problem is at Seal Rock there are always some sea lions and seals. Hints the name lol

There are always seals and sea lions everywhere, but this thing extends from the pier clear to San Mateo Point.

[SCspear]

Ive gotten some really good goats off of seal rock! Just dont mind the seals dive bombing you and its fun out there. The barges where out there all day yesterday dumping. Are they building it with concrete or what materials? It should make for some good diving in a few years!

[Bill McIntyre]

From an article cited in one of the other threads on this subject.

From 100,000 to 125,000 tons of gneiss, a metamorphic rock, will be barged to the site from a quarry on Santa Catalina Island. The smallest rocks are the size of a basketball, and the largest are about the size of a 36-inch TV set.

[Fis_Hunter]

From an article cited in one of the other threads on this subject.

So they are removing an Island to make a reef. :confused:

[Matty51]

No, they are just placing rocks on the sea floor in geometric shapes. Yeah Bill your right those sea lions won't be that much of a hassle for how big the bed will be

[spearthebigones]

So they are removing an Island to make a reef. :confused:

More like removing part of a rocky hill on an Island to make a reef

[Bill McIntyre]

So they are removing an Island to make a reef. :confused:

I think the entire Long Beach/LA breakwater, the Dana Pt. Harbor breakwater, and others came from the quarry on the east end of Catalina. Its already ugly as hell, but I bet there is a lot of rock to spare before the island is gone.

[BLUEGILL]

Just in case anyone is wondering what the hell is going on out there I took a pic today....

Jeff Bonisa
San Clemente

Sorry I couldn't figure out how to insert a GWS into the photo.. I really kinda hope they stay in La Jolla though :cool:

[Bill McIntyre]

Here is an article with a few more details.

http://www.latimes.com/news/printedition/california/la-me-kelp12-2008jun12,0,3029764.story

[mnguy]

I think the entire Long Beach/LA breakwater, the Dana Pt. Harbor breakwater, and others came from the quarry on the east end of Catalina. Its already ugly as hell, but I bet there is a lot of rock to spare before the island is gone.

When I was little, some old salt on the San Clemente pier told me that the Dana Point breakwalls came from Catalina as well as Big Bear. He said that you can see the deep holes that they drilled into the rock face in order to stuff it with explosives and break it out of the ground. The next time I went, I did notice the holes, which were maybe 2" in diameter and deep enough that they were dark inside.

[ApneaAddict]

Has anyone noticed any negative effects on the vis in that area as feared by some in that other thread?

[Bmorgan]

Went out today, vis was crap. Maybe 5-8' at best. It was a south current, so I don't think the boys dropping rocks was the cause. It was awful noisey though.

[Bill McIntyre]

Blain is right- it sucked.

But just as he left, a tug came down and set a big buoy right inside the edge of the kelp bed. Then it came back with another one and set it closer to the beach. I'm afraid that artificial reef is going to extend to right inside the natural kep bed, with is bigger than it has been in years.

I'm afraid we may be screwed, at least this summer.

[ralphthehalibut]

But just as he left, a tug came down and set a big buoy right inside the edge of the kelp bed. Then it came back with another one and set it closer to the beach. I'm afraid that artificial reef is going to extend to right inside the natural kep bed, with is bigger than it has been in years.

I'm afraid we may be screwed, at least this summer.



So they're tearing down the existing healthy kelp forest and reef in order to build a new one?:confused:

That's exactly what I was afraid of.

[Bmorgan]

I don't think they will be tearing up the existing, just extending it to the north.

[Sin City Slayer]

Pick up LA Times, Orange County. Thursday, June 12, 2008 The article covers it pretty well.

SCS