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New diving spot off Perdido Pass
An estimated 200 private boats watched the sinking of the "Yokamu" on May 26, 2013, five miles south of Perdido Pass in the Gulf of Mexico (latitude/longitude coordinates: +29° 59' 50"/-87° 33' 00"´). Vince Lucido, President of the Alabama Gulf Coast Reef and Restoration Foundation, raised his arms in victory, thumbs pointing downward, after the ship slipped beneath the waves with a his and blast of air stern first. The crew of Walter Marine had pulled the plywood plugs and abandoned the ship as the stern began to settle. A cameraman who also was onboard and came off the ship as well while it sank according to plan. The bow slipped underneath the waves is less than 20 minutes. The ship was found to be resting upright and pretty and the top of the wheelhouse was 60 feet from the surface. ) on the dot,” Craft said via text messages.” It couldn't have been set down any better. The wreck has meanwhile been cleared for diving. Reports with photos and video: http://www.gulfcoastnewstoday.com/area_news/article_5e7cb6ae-c65b-11e2-92c5-0019bb2963f4.html http://blog.al.com/live/2013/05/alabama_celebrates_sinking_of.html
Freighter to become artifial reef
The Alabama Gulf Coast Reef and Restoration Foundation plans to sink the "Yokamu" on May 26, 2013, to create an artificial reef. The ship will be sunk about 20 miles south of Perdido Pass in Orange Beach. The Walter Marine was tasked with sinking the ship, paid by a foundation by the chamber of commerce. The reef will not only be great for the Gulf’s marine population, but it will have economic benefits, too benifiting the dive tourist business. After the sinking Mitch Craft of Down Under Dive Shop will dive down to the vessel with his team, going room by room, compartment by compartment, to make sure it’s safe for divers. The wheel house will be 60 feet down from the surface. Report with video: http://www.fox10tv.com/dpp/news/local_news/baldwin_county/ship-sinking-planned-for-sunday
Retired freighter to be sunk in 2013
In 2013 the "Yokamu" will be sunk as an artifial reef off Gulf Shores, Alabama. The freighter will be sunk about 20 miles off the coast in a water depth of 110 ft with a clearance of 60 feet above. The ship is ready except for some cleaning and we got to cut some holes in the hull so it will sink. Mac McAleer has donated 250000 dollars needed to fund the sinking. It also gave him the right to name the reef which he did, after business partner Lucy Buffet. It will be called 'The Lulu'. The state of Alabama donated $100,000 in seed money for the project. The Baldwin County Commissioners ponied up another $200,000. The cities of Orange Beach and Gulf Shores added $50,000 each. The most recent check pushed the total to $650,000. The state of Alabama expects divers to come from all over to see what the old ship looks like under water. The Alabama Gulf Coast Area Chamber of Commerce is spearheading an initiative to build an entirely new year-round tourism base centered on scuba diving. A big Lulu's-style party is being planned for the sinking. McAleer wants to take a barge out to the site with a live band, food and drinks along with a flotilla of onlookers. The sinking could be as soon as February or as late as June 2013. On June 15, 2012, the ship sailed through the Intracoastal Waterway. David Walter of Walter Marine, "The Reefmaker," had bought it in Miami. The ship was thought to be the largest to go through Baldwin County portion of the waterway. It entered from Mobile Bay and moved through Gulf Shores to Walter's facility west of the Beach Express bridge in Orange Beach. Report with photos: http://blog.al.com/live/2012/11/alabama_gulf_coast_leaders_aim.html
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