Honestly WTF

Next Stop Atlantic

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In 2000, the NYC Transit authority joined forces with an artificial reef building program, dropping stripped and decontaminated subway cars off barges into the Atlantic Ocean. These barren hulls would soon become colonized, providing refuge for several fish and crustacean species. Photographer Stephen Mallon chronicled the grand endeavor with a series of stunning yet haunting photographs as these iconic New York City figures made their way to their last stop: the Atlantic Ocean.

(via Saturdays Surf)

19 Comments

  1. MaryKate    March 14, 2011

    This is awesome. I’d be interested to see any divers go down and take some underwater shots! I’m sure it’s awesome down there.

  2. Squiggles&Scribbles    March 14, 2011

    While these pictures are pretty amazing, I am not quite sure I’m for chucking big hunks of metal into the ocean. Even though it will inevitable be occupied by sea life, it’s still littering our ocean floor. It seems like a waste. I think these cars could be reused or used in some other way (i.e. art project, restaurant space, for exhibits, metal, etc). What do you think?

  3. Nina P    March 14, 2011

    Oh my! Those pictures are definitely something. I think I’ll agree with squiggles & scribbles. It seems pretty wrong to throw chunks of metal into the ocean. They can be recycled whcih would in a small amount, decrease the demand pressure there is in the global market for metal…

  4. Heather    March 14, 2011

    say what?! personally i think this is awful. sounds like they had them piling up in a yard somewhere and didn’t know what to do with them so they came up with a stupid idea to just throw them in the ocean. i’m with squiggles&scribbles. they could have put these to better use or even sold them to people to refurb themselves. using them for scrap metal would’ve been better also.

  5. erica    March 15, 2011

    At first, I was stunned as well – it’s alarming to see such huge pieces of metal dumped into the ocean. But artificial reefs have had a long history of promoting marine life in areas bare of reefs. Let’s hope that these cars can provide a source of protection and food source for sea life . . .

  6. Rebelle Fleur    March 15, 2011

    These are so beautiful. I am obsessed.

    rebellefleur713.blogspot.com

  7. Nomadic D    March 15, 2011

    I love it. Thanks for finding this. For some reason, the fact that humans would dump these train cars into the ocean to create strange new homes for fishes, I don’t know, it’s just really heartwarming in some strange new way.

    http://nomadic-d.blogspot.com/

  8. Donatella    March 15, 2011

    I’m a diver and wrecks of all kind are on the bottom of our oceans. in a very short period of time, all kind of marine creatures make these wreck their own homes. Diving in a wreck is one of a kind experience. to see more google ‘wreck diving’ and look at the pictures!
    <3 this blog, btw!

  9. Marlo M    March 17, 2011

    I can imagine far-future generations finding these subway cars at the bottom of the ocean and making up some crazy theory about how they ended up there! haha! Thanks for sharing this :)

  10. Anna    June 18, 2011

    this is the stupidest idea ever!it’s a waste and they’re throwing it into the ocean!for how long? until we all drown in toxic water!idiots,this is the stupidest idea they’ve ever come up with!

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