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Boulders & Pilings

CONTRIBUTIONS BY THE BOULDER, LINEAL FOOT, AND POUND WILL SAVE OUR OCEANS!

Your contributions help to fund this project cradle to grave. At the cradle we are extracting Florida limestone from mother earth, shipping 40-miles 20-tons of material, where a crane unloads the boulder and stacks it for loading on the 140-foot ocean barge which hauls 200 tons per load to the project site. The boulder is lifted with a crane and is sets it in place with the help of two divers and a barge assistant. Our 4-foot boulders will also be memorial sites for loved ones, our grave, rest-in-peace.  The Imagination Reef will have 14,301 boulders and your contributions are just the beginning of this amazing organization established to create the world’s largest man-made reef and become the world’s leader in scientific study of reefs and their ecosystems!

Understanding the cost of materials and transportation by the ton. To the cost of the rock or piling, we must include trucking to the loading dock, transportation to the reef site by barge and then set in place by divers on the bottom. These are the logistics of reef building.

The first requirement is from the Permitting of the Department of Environmental Resources management that the smallest rock boulder or material is required to weigh over 500 lbs.

Second factor is that all transportation to the loading dock is calculated and limited to 20 tons per load. The letters of “Protect The Oceans” “Save Our Reefs” alone require 9,065 tons or 454 twenty-ton truckloads.

After delivery, the materials are unloaded by crane and loaded to the barge. The barge deployment to the reef is calculated at 200 tons per transport or 18 barge loads. The materials are then deposited on the ocean bottom by crane.

Finally, the 19,661,140 pounds of Ancient Florida Coral Rock and Marine Piling are set in place by divers one boulder or one length of piling at a time.

In the end, the Imagination Reef Project, with your contributions will become the future of an In-Situ experience in reef development for the future Marine Biologists of tomorrow, training today in our universities and colleges across the nation.

Sponsor one or more Coral Boulders

1,368 two-foot diameter Boulders 500 lbs. – $400 each
12.56 Square Feet of exposed natural coral rock

10,266 three-foot Boulders 1,762 lbs. – $700 each
28.27 Square Feet of exposed natural coral rock

1,565 four-foot Boulders 4,187 lbs. – $1,200, plaque included
50.26 Square Feet of exposed natural coral rock

The surface area of each boulder is important as it creates a superior base for development of corals, microorganisms and other marine life while providing a unique educational and recreational underwater experience for our scientist and divers.

PILING LENGTHS REQUIRED
AND SET IN PLACE

Each piling is 150 lbs. per linear foot and come in lengths ranging from 12 feet to 49.67 feet.  In all, there is 1,531,680 lbs. of concrete pilings.  The most common piling lengths are: 

  • 12’ and 16’ Piling with respective wights of 1,800 lbs. and 2,400 lbs. 
  • 22’ and 36’ Piling with respective wights of 3,300 lbs. and 5,400 lbs. 
  • 42’ and 48’ Piling with respective wights of 6,300 lbs. and 7,200 lbs. 

* The donation purchase of any piling 42’ or longer will include a 4” X 6” bronze plaque plus GPS coordinates once installed. 

There are 10,211 lineal feet of pilings providing the outline of “PROTECT THE OCEANS” and “SAVE OUR REEFS”. These pilings also provide a significant platform for the planting of Coral Tree’s and the development of corals throughout the project, providing 30,634 sq. ft. of surface space for growth.  

There are 10,211 lineal feet of pilings providing the outline of “PROTECT THE OCEANS” and “SAVE OUR REEFS”. These pilings also provide a significant platform for the planting of Coral Tree’s and the development throughout the project.

SPONSOR LIVE ROCK BY THE POUND
AND BECOME A CREATOR OF LIVE REEF LIFE

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POUNDS FOR THE PROJECT

Our live rock is grown at our aquaculture site in Islamorada. The addition of Florida Aquaculture Live Rock to the project is intended to accelerate the biological development of the reef. The Live Rock will be attached to the boulders to ensure that it will remain on the reef. This process will be managed and installed by Marine Biologists and their students from our Universities. All training will be provided by our staff of Biologist supporting Reefs For Oceans.

Support our reef with your donation for live rock @ $15 per pound!

The Monuments of the Imagination Reef Project
IDEAL FOR CORPORATE, FOUNDATION, & LEGACY DONATIONS

Imagination Reef was inspired through unique individuals that have brought us closer to the oceans. We honor these individuals and their achievements through the Monuments of Imagination Reef.  

Our deepest gratitude goes out to the Godfather of scuba diving and deep-sea explorationist, Jacques Cousteau, with our largest monument 100’ x 100’. Jacques Cousteau’s monument is flanked by two monuments, Earnest Hemmingway and Don Aronow, which are each 80’ x 80’. The seven remaining monuments are dedicated to the seven seas of the world and are each 60’ x 60’. 

Your sponsorship of these monuments will be supporting not only the reef itself but also the summer programs for our Student Marine Biologists and Professors who will be monitoring the coral & marine growth for decades to come.  

Information on these Monument Sponsorships is available by calling. Please contact the office at 888-RFO-REEF for further information.

PRIMARY MONUMENT SPONSORSHIP​

Jacques Cousteau Monument
100 FEET X 100 FEET

M-1.- COUSTEAU MEMORIAL-Cousteau Monument (1)-1
Click image to enlarge

Jacques Cousteau 

Father of Deep 

Ocean Exploration & Science

SECONDARY MONUMENT SPONSORSHIP​

don aronow
Monument
80 FEET X 80 FEET

M 2.-Don Aronow-Don Aronow
Click image to enlarge

Don Aronow

American designer, builder,

and speed boat racer

SECONDARY MONUMENT SPONSORSHIP​

Ernest Hemingway Monument
80 FEET X 80 FEET

M-3.- Ernest Hemmingway-Ernest Hemmingway (2)-1
Click image to enlarge

Ernest Hemingway

Famous Author,

Deep Sea Fisherman

MONUMENTS TO THE SEVEN SEAS

Lloyd Bridges Monument
60 FEET X 60 FEET

M 4 Lloyd Bridges-Lloyd Bridges (2)-1
Click image to enlarge

Lloyd Bridges 

TV series Sea Hunt

Introduced us to SCUBA Diving

MONUMENTS TO THE SEVEN SEAS

Pacific
60 FEET X 60 FEET

M 6 Duke Kahanamoku-Duke Kahanamoku-1
Click image to enlarge

Duke Kahanamoku

Godfather of Surfing,

also known as “The Big Kahuna”

MONUMENTS TO THE SEVEN SEAS

Atlantic
60 FEET X 60 FEET

M-5-JOHNNY-WEISSMULLER.jpg
Click image to enlarge

Johnny Weissmuller (Tarzan) 

Gold Medalist 

Olympic Swimmer

MONUMENTS TO THE SEVEN SEAS

Southern
60 FEET X 60 FEET

M 7 Dr.Ruth Gates-Dr. Ruth Gates (1)-1
Click image to enlarge

Dr. Ruth Gates

Marine Biologist

Mother of Assisted Evolution

MONUMENTS TO THE SEVEN SEAS

Southern
60 FEET X 60 FEET

M 8 Dr.Sylvia Earle-Dr. Sylvia Earle (1)-1
Click image to enlarge

 Dr. Sylvia Earl

The Queen of Deepness

MONUMENTS TO THE SEVEN SEAS

Indian
60 FEET X 60 FEET

M 10 Lost at Sea-1
Click image to enlarge

Soldiers, Sailors

and Others Lost at Sea

This monument is a testament for those seafarers who were lost at sea – and returned to the waters where all life began.

MONUMENTS TO THE SEVEN SEAS

Arctic
60 FEET X 60 FEET

M 9 Marine Biologists-Marine-1
Click image to enlarge

Marine Biologist

Past, Present and Future

These are the front line soldiers in the fight to Protect The Oceans and Save Our Reefs.  Without them, we will eventually lose our reefs.

“The oceans and seas have been
changing lives since the dawn of time."