AB634 Becomes Law

Soviet Era Submarine May Become Underwater Exhibit

Yukon's 10th Anniversary Celebration Successful!

The fun, festivity and prizes of the Yukon's 10th Anniversary Celebration cocktail party made for an exciting evening.  The exciting event on July 14 highlighted the Yukon's two-day anniversary celebration and was jointly sponsored by California Ships to Reefs and the Maritime Museum of San Diego.

Attendees had the opportunity to speak with the leaders and members of Project Yukon, hear stories about her reefing in 2000 in the San Diego Underwater Recreation Area.  Many attendees included their own names and messages in the time capsule that was  placed on the Yukon the next day.

Party goers enjoyed the unveiling of the Wyland Artwork painted on one of the original dolphins that Milt Beard cut from Yukon's hull.  Dolphin Scuba Sacramento had purchased the dolphin during reef week in 2000 and recently donated it back to CSTR for this event.  The dolphin will be auctioned by the Wyland Foundation with proceeds being split between the Wyland Foundation and CSTR. 

The balance of the event included seminars from experts in the ocean's health, sportfishing and the need for sustainable ports, along with how man-made reefs can help solve the ocean's problems and how to get your own ship to reef.  Guests toured the B-39 Soviet era submarine, which as announced at the party, may become an underwater exhibit near the Yukon.

The Underwater Sea Ceremony on July 15 was a dramatic event.  Divers who participated donned special face masks that allowed them to talk underwater while the time capsule was placed on the Yukon.  Special equipment, donated by Ocean Technology Systems, transmitted voices to the surface where the press and public were part of the adventure.  See the video above.

July 2010 Chairman's Letter

I want to personally invite you to join us in San Diego July 14th and 15th to celebrate the past and the future of artificial reefs in California.  CSTR and the Maritime Museum of San Diego are hosting two exciting events where you will have many opportunities to become a part of San Diego's historic Yukon Reef Story.  Honor our past and look to the future of California reefing at our exciting festivities.

Our newsletter has all the details of this two-day celebration, including the seminars, cocktail party, Wyland art unveiling, the prizes, the underwater press conference, the placing of the time capsule and even more.  You won't want to miss any of it, so make your reservations now.

Sincerely,

Joel Geldin, Chairman and CEO

Suisun Bay Reserve Fleet Settlement Hurts California, Helps Texas

The recent court settlement which allocates federal money to move obsolete ships from Susuin Bay will help prevent further Bay pollution, but is not the most economically and environmentally sound solution for California, asserts California Ships to Reefs (CSTR).

CSTR, a non profit organization, protests the plan to tow the ships to Texas, where they will be dismantled and scrapped. The U.S. Maritime Administration will spend at least $38 million over the next two and a half years to clean and dispose of 25 of the 52 badly decaying ships in the Bay under the terms of the settlement.

“Why not avoid an expensive, energy consuming, and environmentally damaging tow to Texas?” asked Joel Geldin, Chairman and CEO of CSTR. “After California takes on the burden of cleaning the ships here, we should keep them here and sink them in appropriate locations along our coastline. We can create new artificial reefs where ocean life will flourish. These vessels could make California jobs and provide state tax revenue while making these historic old ships a lasting resource for our state, not scrap metal for Texas.”

The Suisun Bay fleet was the target of litigation by three environmental groups who want to force the Bay cleanup. Tons of toxic metals from the ships have leaked into the Bay. The settlement, which must still be approved by a federal judge in Sacramento, will remove all the ships by 2017. Geldin applauded the effort to clean up the Bay, but he noted, “The Maritime Administration has a short sighted rule which releases only one ship at a time for artificial reefing, while allowing many ships at a time to be sent to Texas for scrapping.”

California Ships to Reefs is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit public benefit corporation that works with agencies to create artificial reefs by sinking decommissioned military or retired commercial vessels near harbors, where they quickly become breeding grounds for new ocean life. The rejuvenated ocean environments attract divers, fishermen and other recreational opportunities, pumping additional income into local businesses. Artificial reefs have been successfully created all over the world. CSTR’s California example is the 366 ship Yukon, sunk outside San Diego harbor 10 years ago, and now a popular and lucrative diving site which annually puts $4.5 million into the San Diego economy.

The organization advocates keeping the best ships from Suisun Bay for reefing in California, where they will provide benefits for recreational fishing and diving. “We need state and federal agencies to come together for the necessary permits and leases for these new reefs,” said Geldin. “With enough governmental and public support, these ships can mean jobs, money and environmental enhancement for California.”