NOAAProject2006
WHITTIER, Alaska -- Fifty feet down in the cold waters of Smitty's Cove, reef balls were deployed to create fishery habitat.
The federal government required Alaska Marine Lines to mitigate damage the shipping company caused to marine habitat when it filled in tidal waters as part of its container facility expansion last year.
The roughly $100,000 reef project is an effort by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Alaska Marine Lines, the Prince William Sound Science Center, among other entities.
As for Smitty's itself - it's okay diving. About 30 - 100 ft. depth, viz ranges from Braille diving conditions to 70 ft. Best in October, although good throughout winter and divable year-round. Fair bit of life, particularly on the sunken features including some artificial reef (cement reef balls). It can get old quickly, but Smitty's is "Old Reliable" around here.
Directions:
Take Seward highway south from Anchorage. As you follow turnagain arm up the valley for about an hour, you'll approach the Whittier turn-off. Turn left to Whittier and follow the road for about 7 miles. The road ends at a toll tunnel which is a one-lane road through the base of the mountain for approximately 3 miles. Toll fee is $12 round-trip. After exiting the tunnel, you follow the road for another 1/2 mile to the first right turn. Whittier is a very small town and as you drive through it several old abandoned buildings will be on either side. at the first left you follow the road until it dead-ends at the cove. Please stop and pay $5 at the sign directing you to do so.
The western set of reef balls is literally covered with Sunflower Stars and Coon Stripe shrimp. The middle and eastern sets have quite a few Sculpin laying eggs on them. Down by the western reef havens is a Widow rockfish and a Puget Sound rockfish.
This was a poster done by NOAA showing all the life found around the Reef Balls in Alaska.
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