Join us for our 6th annual fundraiser for the Eastern Carolina Artificial Reef Association (ECARA)! Taking place at the NC Aquarium at Pine Knoll Shores, this is an evening social event featuring various exhibits on fishing and diving in North Carolina, food and drink, and a raffle. ECARA works with local partners to obtain materials, including vessels such as the Spar, to sink off our coast, and is is actively engaged in raising awareness about the importance of artificial reefs to the marine environment, and to the economy of eastern North Carolina. Help us with our mission by becoming a member of ECARA!

Event Information

Date: March 3, 2012
Time: 6pm - 9pm
Location: NC Aquarium at Pine Knoll Shores
Admission: FREE and open to the public
Food/Open Bar: $10 for Members, $30 for non-Members (Includes 2012 Membership)
Buy tickets by February 28th and receive 5 free raffle tickets!

Silent Auction Items Donated By

Arts N Things

Beaufort Harbor Suites

Capt. Stacy

Carolina Princess

Chick Fil A

Chris Kimrey Pin Fish Mount

Continental Shelf

DAN

Discovery Diving

Don Taylor - Port Hole with Glass

Gran Pacifica Resort in Belize

Lookout Tours

Nautilus Swell - $500 Voucher towards 2012 Live Aboard

NOAA - All Inclusive trip for 2 to Thunder Bay (over $3000 value)

Olympus Dive Center

Rum Runner Dive Shop

Sea Striker

Sherwood Scuba - Assorted Dive Gear

West Marine

If you would like to donate an item to the Silent Auction Please contact Melissa by submitting and email via carolinareef.org.

The weather could not have been more perfect as the Outrageous V pulled away from the dock on Tuesday morning. The goal of the day was to sink an old barge, donated by Taylor Brothers Marine Construction, to the Artificial Reef Program. The Eastern Carolina Artificial Reef Association acquired the barge about 9 months ago and has been working tirelessly to prepare the vessel to become the next victim of the Graveyard of the Atlantic. The tow to the AR-330 site (Indra) took approximately 4 hours. Once the barge was moved into position she was attached the Indra with a cable about 150 feet off the stern. As the soft patches on either side were removed the workers on deck began pumping sea water into the bilge, all that was left to do was wait. Once the soft patches started dipping below the surface it was time for the workers to break down the pumps and clear off the deck, it was only a matter of time now.

Plans to sink the former destroyer USS Arthur W. Radford off the Maryland coast this spring to serve as a fish reef will apparently not be affected by the Navy's decision to recycle, rather than sink, four other retired warships.

PHOENIX - Arizona Sen. John McCain's old aircraft carrier, the U.S.S. Forrestal, now is to be recycled instead of being scuttled at sea. The U.S. Navy says three other carriers also will be recycled instead of dumping them in the ocean to create artificial reefs.

Colby Self, Green Ship Recycling Campaign director for Seattle-based Basel Action Network, says the new policy will save taxpayers millions of dollars by recycling valuable metals while reducing decontamination costs involved in sinking a ship.

"The biggest thing that they're looking at removing is PCBs, which are persistent toxic materials that fish can take up and pass them through the food chain up through humans. Asbestos has to be removed, all the hydrocarbons. It's a very, very expensive effort."