Artificial Reefs - Photo Gallery - National Geographic Magazine

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Relics to Reefs

Why fish can't resist sunken ships, tanks, and subway cars.

/2011/02/artificial-reefs/img/01-diver-duane-714.jpg /2011/02/artificial-reefs/img/artificial-reefs-60-01.jpg Photograph by David Doubilet Duane attracts schools of smallmouth grunts—and divers. The ship was intentionally sunk in 1987 off Key Largo to create an artificial reef 120 feet deep.]]> http://pictopia.com/perl/ptp/natgeo?photo_name=1366128 /2011/02/artificial-reefs/img/02-m60-tank-714.jpg /2011/02/artificial-reefs/img/artificial-reefs-60-02.jpg Photograph by David Doubilet http://pictopia.com/perl/ptp/natgeo?photo_name=1366130 /2011/02/artificial-reefs/img/03-muzzle-m60-714.jpg /2011/02/artificial-reefs/img/artificial-reefs-60-03.jpg Photograph by David Doubilet http://pictopia.com/perl/ptp/natgeo?photo_name=1366131 /2011/02/artificial-reefs/img/04-sinking-boat-714.jpg /2011/02/artificial-reefs/img/artificial-reefs-60-04.jpg Photograph by David Doubilet General Hoyt S. Vandenberg was sunk to create an artificial reef. It landed perfectly upright.]]> http://pictopia.com/perl/ptp/natgeo?photo_name=1366124 /2011/02/artificial-reefs/img/05-almost-sunk-714.jpg /2011/02/artificial-reefs/img/artificial-reefs-60-05.jpg Photograph by David Doubilet Vandenberg shows water rushing in after the explosion.]]> http://pictopia.com/perl/ptp/natgeo?photo_name=1366125 /2011/02/artificial-reefs/img/06-falling-714.jpg /2011/02/artificial-reefs/img/artificial-reefs-60-06.jpg Photograph by David Doubilet Vandenberg records the ship almost completely submerged.]]> http://pictopia.com/perl/ptp/natgeo?photo_name=1366126 /2011/02/artificial-reefs/img/07-submerged-714.jpg /2011/02/artificial-reefs/img/artificial-reefs-60-07.jpg Photograph by David Doubilet General Hoyt S. Vandenberg was sunk, a diver descended to inspect the ship, which landed perfectly upright.]]> http://pictopia.com/perl/ptp/natgeo?photo_name=1366127 /2011/02/artificial-reefs/img/08-uboat-714.jpg /2011/02/artificial-reefs/img/artificial-reefs-60-08.jpg Mosaic composed of 33 images by David Doubilet and Hal Silverman U-352, sunk by the U.S. Coast Guard off Cape Lookout, North Carolina, during World War II. Today the 220-foot wreck sits about 110 feet deep in clear Gulf Stream waters and is sometimes obscured from view by fish.]]> http://pictopia.com/perl/ptp/natgeo?photo_name=1366135 /2011/02/artificial-reefs/img/09-sand-tiger-714.jpg /2011/02/artificial-reefs/img/artificial-reefs-60-09.jpg Photograph by Jennifer Hayes Spar in waters off North Carolina.]]> /2011/02/artificial-reefs/img/10-tube-sponges-steel-714.jpg /2011/02/artificial-reefs/img/artificial-reefs-60-10.jpg Photograph by David Doubilet http://pictopia.com/perl/ptp/natgeo?photo_name=1366129 /2011/02/artificial-reefs/img/11-neptune-memorial-reef-714.jpg /2011/02/artificial-reefs/img/artificial-reefs-60-11.jpg Photograph by David Doubilet http://pictopia.com/perl/ptp/natgeo?photo_name=1366132 /2011/02/artificial-reefs/img/12-radar-dish-714.jpg /2011/02/artificial-reefs/img/artificial-reefs-60-12.jpg Photograph by David Doubilet General Hoyt S. Vandenberg used to track missiles off Cape Canaveral. Now it gives the new artificial reef an otherworldly profile that attracts fish and divers.]]> http://pictopia.com/perl/ptp/natgeo?photo_name=1366136 /2011/02/artificial-reefs/img/13-oil-platform-supports-714.jpg /2011/02/artificial-reefs/img/artificial-reefs-60-13.jpg Photograph by David Doubilet http://pictopia.com/perl/ptp/natgeo?photo_name=1366137 /2011/02/artificial-reefs/img/14-lookdown-schools-714.jpg /2011/02/artificial-reefs/img/artificial-reefs-60-14.jpg Photograph by David Doubilet http://pictopia.com/perl/ptp/natgeo?photo_name=1366138 /2011/02/artificial-reefs/img/15-gray-triggerfish-chicken-pens-714.jpg /2011/02/artificial-reefs/img/artificial-reefs-60-15.jpg Photograph by David Doubilet http://pictopia.com/perl/ptp/natgeo?photo_name=1366139 /2011/02/artificial-reefs/img/16-u-85-divers-714.jpg /2011/02/artificial-reefs/img/artificial-reefs-60-16.jpg Photograph by David Doubilet U-85, which sank on April 14, 1942, off Hatteras Island. Its crew abandoned ship and begged for rescue, but all were killed when a Navy warship dropped depth charges on the sub. The inspection was part of a 2009 NOAA survey of North Carolina shipwrecks.]]> http://pictopia.com/perl/ptp/natgeo?photo_name=1366140 /2011/02/artificial-reefs/img/17-sand-tiger-sharks-714.jpg /2011/02/artificial-reefs/img/artificial-reefs-60-17.jpg Photograph by David Doubilet Spar, south of Beaufort Inlet, North Carolina.]]> http://pictopia.com/perl/ptp/natgeo?photo_name=1366141