Theodore Parker (AR-315)

The main part of this wreck is a large hull with holes cut into the sides. As the ship was sunk in order to become an artificial reef, the Parker was cut down to the upper deck level, thus removing all interesting superstructure. There are still some interesting structures inside the cargo holds but fish do not frequent the area. The wreck is reasonably safe as there are many entry and exit points. Although the wreck is in shallow water, it is large and requires a substantial dive time for full exploration. When the visibility is bad you can struggle to find your anchor line. The best option in this case is to look up towards the surface - the water is shallow enough that you will generally be able to see the shadow of your dive boat. The hull is surrounded by a large field of old car tires (be warned that, as all the tires look the same, you can get disorientated when exploring the field). There are various other structures near the wreck including a surplus military aircraft (1992), two 60 foot barges (1989), some concrete rubble (1990 and 1992), and steel framing (1989).