‘Perfect Storm’ rescue ship to be sunk
The USS Zuni survived the submarine-infested waters of the Pacific during World War II as it towed torpedoed warships to safety and aided in the Battle of Iwo Jima.
A half century later and renamed the Tamaroa, it overcame gale force winds and 40-foot waves to help save seven people off the New England coast, a rescue effort immortalized in the book and film The Perfect Storm.
But the Tamaroa could not conquer time.
This ship that has made so much history will soon be sunk off the southern coast of New Jersey to help expand an artificial reef that attracts both scuba divers and anglers. A decade-long effort to turn the ship into a museum and memorial was derailed when the Tamaroa’s hull sprung a leak four years ago, causing significant damage to key parts of the ship.
Having the Tamaroa sit on the ocean floor isn’t how many who served on the ship envisioned its fate. For some, the emotional attachment to the ship is far more powerful than mere nostalgia.
The Tamaroa was home to generations of crew members who routinely risked their lives in some of the most brutal conditions to save others.
The man who commanded the ship during the 1991 Perfect Storm said sinking the Tamaroa is a better outcome than being demolished for scrap metal, a common ending for old ships.
“It’s always sad when you sink a ship, but some good will come of it,” said retired Coast Guard Capt. Larry Brudnicki of Sunapee, N.H. “It’s being repurposed. It’s being used. If it’s cut up, who’s going to know that their razor blade came from the Tamaroa?”
New Jersey and Delaware officials say the 205-foot ship will help expand their joint deepwater reef 25 miles south of Cape May Point, N.J., by attracting large game fish and aiding the Garden State’s $1.7 billion recreational fishing industry.
They plan to sink the Tamaroa around Sunday, the 25th anniversary of The Perfect Storm, although no official announcement has been issued. It is also a coup for divers. “It’s name recognition,” said Trustee Brian Nunes-Vais with the Ann E. Clark Foundation, which helps finance New Jersey’s artificial reef program. “Would you want to dive Bob’s boat or the Tamaroa?”