Veronica M

The Veronica M. has happened. On November 10, 2004, a 100' tugboat
was sunk on the Axel Carlson Reef off New Jersey and it will be
called the Veronica M. For photos and more info, click here.

The Veronica M Story

When my wonderful wife, Veronica, celebrated her 50th birthday. We also celebrated our 30th wedding anniversary. I asked her to pick out a special gift. Her choice is to have a tugboat sunk on the New Jersey Artificial Reef and for it to be named the Veronica M. I took some time to make it happen.

Until I could complete our project, I had my good friend and incredible artist, Kathy Johnston, produce a watercolor of the Veronica M in its final resting place on a New Jersey reef. Here it is! Veronica received this masterpiece on her 50th birthday with the understanding that it will be a reminder of the real event to follow.

To see more of Kathy's work and to find out how you can purchase a Kathy Johnston original, visit Kathy's web site at www.kathyjohnston.com.

Veronica M

The 100' long tug donated by McAllister tugs

Veronica Segars waits for her tug to slip beneath the waters of the Atlantic

Bill Figley from the New Jersey Artificial Reef Program presents Veronica Segars with a sign that he made to dedicate the day. Bill has been the driving force behind the artificial reef program and Veronica and I are proud to call him our friend.

The Veronica M. sits low in the water prior to sinking

Veronica M Tugboat Information

Sunk: November 10, 2004
Depth: 76 feet
Orientation on bottom: North to South
Former Name: Captain Bill
Last Owner: McAllister Towing Inc.
Reef Sponsor: Herb & Veronica Segars
Port of Operation: Boston, MA
Year Built: 1950
Built by: Jacobson Shipyards of Oyster Bay, Long Island, NY
Length: 110 feet

Beam: 27 feet
Draft: 12 feet
Gross Tonnage: 199 tons
Net Tonnage: 111 tons
Height: 35 ft to top of wheelhouse - 16 ft to main deck
Speed: 12 knots
Fuel Capacity: 10,000 gallons of #2 diesel oil
Official ship number: 259281
Interesting Facts: 120 in bronze propeller and
500 lb anchor sunk with tug

Veronica M Story Continues

On November 10, 2004, the 110' long former McAllister tug, Captain Bill, was sunk on the Axel Carlson Artificial Reef off Bayhead, NJ. The site will be renamed the Veronica M. after Veronica Segars, pictured above. The day started as we awoke to a temperature of 27 degrees, beautiful sunshine and a light north wind. We met at the Diversion, a charter dive boat owned by Steve and Barbara Nagiewicz at 8:00 am.. The Diversion left the dock around 8:45 am to meet the McAllister tug Megan McAllister which had towed the Veronica M. to her final resting site. The sinking process took over four hours. When the stern of the tug was low in the water, the Megan McAllister steamed by, producing a wake that washed over the stern of the tug. It took less than 40 seconds for the Veronica M. to slip below the waves. She made one bump as her stern hit the bottom and then she was gone.

All of us in the Segars family would like to thank the New Jersey DEP, the New Jersey Artificial Reef Program, Bill Figley, Jeff Carlson, McAllister Tugs, Beth Dalzell, Warren & Robin Reed, Rich Galiano and Steve and Barbara Nagiewicz for making this possible and for being a part of this wonderful experience.

Underwater on the Veronica M

The pilot house on the Veronica M is overgrown with tubularian hydroids and blue mussels. This photo was taken one year after the sinking.

A view of the pilot house on the Veronica M, overgrown with tubularian hydroids

A side scan sonar of the Veronica M - Courtesy of Black Laser Learning

An amazing view of the Veronica M.

Bush-backed Nudibrank

A bushy-backed nudibrank moves over a bed of blue mussels.