HLHA (formerly G) Reef

Renamed in honor of retired Coastal Resources Division Artificial Reef Project Manager Henry Ansley, HLHA reef was originally designated “G” reef in 1971 and was one of the first offshore reefs permitted through the United States Army Corps of Engineers for the state of Georgia. A wide variety of materials have been deployed at HLHA including the 447’ long World War II Liberty class ship “Edwin Nettleton” and approximately a quarter of the subway cars that have been donated to the state of Georgia for reefs. Probably the most successful material at HLHA is the rubble from the Jacksonville Stadium which has developed into a low-relief reef complex that closely resembles natural hard bottom with reefs peppered across a wide area of hard bottom sand. This area is utilized by a wide range of fish species including both reef species as well as larger predators and is a great location to drift dive or fish.