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Old Sailor
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Sea Passion |
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M/V CASTOR Artificial Reef
Lat 26°28.80’N Lon 80°02.20’W
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When was the ship built? The M/V CASTOR was designed as a dry cargo carrier and built of steel classified by the Dutch as a Shelterdeck Coaster used for timbers. The ship was built in 1970 at the Bodewes Shipyard, Martenshoek, Netherlands.
How big is the ship? The M/V CASTOR is 258 feet long by 37 feet wide by 50 feet tall and weighs 1415 tons.
Where will the ship be located? The ship will be placed approximately 1 mile due east and 4 miles due south of the Boynton Inlet in 120' of water. The latitude and longitude are: 26°28.80’N by 80°02.20’W.
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How will the ship be utilized? The ship is being placed in approximately 120' of water and intended to be a more advance dive. The top of the wheelhouse will come within 70' of the surface. For safety reasons, all hatches and doors have been removed.
Will the ship be scuttled with explosives? No. Large holes have been cut below the water line that will allow the ship to sink “naturally”.
What is the total cost for this project, including acquiring, preparing, towing, and scuttling the ship? Total cost for the M/V CASTOR artificial reef is $75,000. Funds for this project have come from the County’s Vessel Registration Fee Trust Fund
Who is the County’s contractor for this project? TAC Armature & Pump of Miami, is the contractor. Mr. Jorge Martinez is the President of the company and can be reached at his office in Miami at 305-885-8271.
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Where does the name Castor come from? Many ships are named after stars and the constellation Gemini is widely regarded as the patron of mariners. The stars Castor and Pollux are the two brightest stars in Gemini and named from ancient Greek mythology. Castor and Pollux, were twin brothers, sons of Zeus and the mortal woman Leda. Pollux was immortal and Castor mortal. When Castor died Pollux pleaded with his father to make his brother immortal. Zeus arranged for the twins to divide their time between Hades and Heaven creating the constellation of Gemini. A famous coastal freighter named the M/V CASTOR survived the initial attack on Peal Harbor carrying explosives and guns.
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What is some of the history of the vessel?
∙ Upon its completion in 1970, the M/V CASTOR, originally the M/V DOROTHEE BOS, sailed throughout western Europe carrying cargo and supplies until 1988.
∙ Under the new name of M/V MER STAR, the captain and crew embarked from northern Spain (Requijada) to Mobile, Alabama. The ship has remained within the Caribbean working between the ports of call in southeast United States, Mexico, Columbia, and Aruba.
∙ It has changed names many times over the last dozen years that include the M/V ANN MARY, IRMA, ALLEGRO SEA, GULF VIKING, CARIB STAR, TROPIC and most recently the M/V CASTOR.
∙ In 1999 the M/V CASTOR was seized by U.S. Customs agents after being stopped on the high seas by the Coast Guard and found carrying 200 bales of cocaine weighing 10,127 pounds in a container shipment of bagged sugar. The captain and crew were all arrested.
∙ Within the last year or so, the ship had become a derelict along the Miami River and was seized for debts accrued by the former ship’s owner. The removal of this vessel is part of a continual effort to remove derelict and drug-seized vessels along the Miami River.
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