An artificial reef for sports divers is about to be sunk in shallow water in Denmark’s capital Copenhagen, not far from the city centre.
The 20m barge, made from materials such as concrete and granite and dubbed Noah’s Ark, is to be sunk on 11 December in the Øresund Strait, about 100m off a pier in the city’s north harbour.
The Nordea Foundation, an organisation set up in 1989 to “promote good living” in Denmark, provided the 1 million krone (about £114,000) required to complete the project. “We’re confident that the measure will inspire and motivate more people to try scuba-diving and discover the fascinating wildlife under the sea,” said its director, Henrik Lehman Andersen.
Divers and snorkellers will be encouraged to swim inside the custom-designed barge to explore its various interior spaces. “Traditional wreck-diving is often done in deep water in the shipping routes, where the treacherous mazes in an old ship can result in tragic outcomes,” said Andersen.
“We have designed the boat in such a way that it’s impossible to get lost, and you’re never more than 3m from the nearest exit when you dive into the wreck,” said marine biologist and project leader Johan Wedel Nielsen, from local dive-club Regina Maris.
He said that he expected the wreck to be colonised quickly by seaweed and mussels among other marine life, and that grey seals were likely to visit the wreck.
Divernet – The Biggest Online Resource for Scuba Divers
09-Dec-16
