Boeing Creek Reef  |  USA: Pacific Northwest

Debris,

The Boeing Creek Reef is an artificial reef created by the WDFW for Rockfish restoration. The reef is made of boulders and concrete slabs that were dropped in on a steep sandy slope at depths ranging from 40-75 ft deep in a north-south direction which parallels the shoreline. Safety stops can be completed by moving up the slope toward the shore.

The piles have become home to several species of rockfish, greenling and lingcod, sculpin and perch as well as a host of invertebrates. Scallops, nudibranchs, chitons, sponges, urchins, sea stars and cucumbers dot the reef while octopus lurk within the dark depressions. Use a dive light to explore the crevices. Divers will also find crab and flat fish like flounder and sole in the sandy areas between the piles of debris.

Although currents are typically mild on the reef, strong surface currents may be present during exchanges. Use a live boat and drift through the reef. This is a fishing reef so beware of boat traffic and fishing gear.

The site lies just south of Richmond Beach, about a mile south of the Richmond Highlands County Park. The site is below a prominent bluff with a couple large deciduous trees (in the summer and fall). Railroad tracks run along the shoreline. Look for a small train bridge over the small Boeing Creek outlet, the reef is immediately north of this outlet. You can use a depth finder in the 50 ft range to locate some of the piles or just descend and swim/drift northward to locate the reef. The site is clearly marked on navigational maps as a fish haven.