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"Perfect Storm" Vessel to Become Part of New Jersey Reef

U.S. Coast Guard

CAPE MAY, N.J. (AP) - The ship made famous in the book and subsequent film "The Perfect Storm" is about to be intentionally sunk off the New Jersey and Delaware coasts so it can become part of an artificial reef.

The sinking of the Tamaroa, a 205-foot (62-meter) Coast Guard vessel, initially was scheduled to take place several months ago, but was repeatedly delayed by rough seas and other related issues.

Officials say they plan to sink it Wednesday morning about 33 nautical miles (61 kilometers) off the coast of Cape May, New Jersey.

A tugboat began hauling the Tamaroa from a Norfolk, Virginia, shipyard on Monday.

The Tamaroa was first commission by the U.S. Navy in 1934 under the name Zuni, which during World War II helped tow damaged vessels across the war-torn Pacific Ocean.

Don Rush is the News Director and Senior Producer of News and Public Affairs at Delmarva Public Media. An award-winning journalist, Don reports major local issues of the day, from sea level rise, to urban development, to the changing demographics of Delmarva.