"The large main section, from the bridge to the stern, is still upright and actually moved about 200 feet," said Ted Green of Salisbury, Md., a diver and charter-boat captain who visited the site before and after Irene. "What's also remarkable is that it didn't tip over."
Divers have profiled the 100-foot bow on a depth sounder. It appeared to have fallen over, said Green, 51, who hoped to confirm that finding on a dive Friday.
After serving in the Persian Gulf War and peacekeeping operations off Lebanon, the Radford was just settling into its role as an artificial reef when Irene struck.
Its breakup could enhance its appeal to divers and fishermen, who are expected to leave tourism dollars at hotels, restaurants, retailers, and scuba shops in New Jersey, Delaware, and Maryland, all roughly equidistant from the site, state officials said.
The Radford is 29 miles from Cape May Point and Ocean City, Md., and 26 miles from Indian River Inlet, Del. Its wheelhouse is about 70 feet below the surface, and its keel is 130 feet down.
"I'm pleased that the main part of the ship is still upright," said Jeff Tinsman, artificial reef administrator for the state of Delaware. "That's the main aspect for a dive attraction.
"World War II ships that have been hit by mines are sometimes in two pieces," said Tinsman, who also is a diver. "It may add interest to the whole thing to have a jagged front end."
The Radford was sunk on Aug. 10. After its stern dropped, it went down in about a minute. Struts attached to the back dug into the ocean floor and helped prevent the ship from rolling on its side. Then the bow lifted and slipped beneath the surface.
Two days later, Green and other divers surveyed the site and found the Radford's hull supported in only two places - at the bulbous area of the bow and about two-thirds of the way back.
