BY The Log Newspaper

A not-so-new alternative for disposing of old military vessels has made its way to Orange County. Dana Point City Council members shared the idea - creating artificial reefs - with residents at an Oct. 17 meeting.

Rather than rely on the current ways to dispose of a military vessel, which consists of scrapping the vessel or sinking it during military exercises, the agency California Ships 2 Reefs presented council members with information other states have already utilized.

"California missed the boat - literally," said Harvey Schmiedeke, vice president of California Ships 2 Reefs.

Schmiedeke presented information to residents about the agency's mission to take retired war vessels, have them environmentally cleaned and then sink them in ocean depths of approximately 130 feet. Once situated on the ocean floor, the former ship - now a manmade reef - will begin to attract invertebrate life, as well as scuba divers.

"It's economically and ecologically a win-win for everybody," he explained.

While a spot to sink a ship has yet to be determined, the meeting provided information on the proposal. If the proposal is accepted, the process of sinking a ship can take up to two years.

The plan would model that of San Diego's HCMS Yukon, which California Ships 2 Reefs sank in 2000. The city generates an estimated $4.5 million in tourist revenue each year from the site, Schmiedeke said.

"We are now looking to create a model, to help the federal government dispose of retired vessels that are just sitting there," he explained.

The model will allow the agency to create "underwater tourism" to attract divers, similar to that in Florida, where people will travel to California to wreck dive. Florida has already sunk 249 ships that are estimated to bring in $1.7 billion annually through the artificial reef program, Schmiedeke said.

An ideal ship to sink would be one of more than 500 feet in length, at a site no deeper than 130 feet, he explained.

At the end of the meeting, the city decided to seek more community input by holding meetings with local organizations interested in the program, such as the chamber of commerce. The city would then begin a ship application, which would start the process of getting a ship ready. Dana Point would need to select a location to create the manmade reef, and ecological studies would also need to be conducted.

The project would require approval from the California Coastal Commission.

For more information about California Ships 2 Reefs, call (818) 276-1000 or visit www.cs2r.org.

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