Ocean City Reef — public NJ reef 4.5 nm off Ocean City
Ocean City Reef is a public NJDEP site 4.5 nm off Ocean City, NJ. The May 2022 map lists 1.4 sq mi and 56–66 ft. 2023–2024 Eternal Reef Ball drops are on the state program page.
By Sebastian · Published September 14, 2026
Public-source briefing only. We have not surveyed this water. DEP reef maps are marked not for navigational purposes. Confirm corners, depths, and deployments on the current NJ Fish & Wildlife reef PDFs and a live NOAA chart before you leave the dock.
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What the state published
- Official name
- Ocean City Reef Site
- Distance offshore
- 4.5 nm off Ocean City NJ (reeflocs.pdf and May 2022 map)
- Reef area
- 1.4 square miles (May 2022 map)
- Depth range
- 56–66 ft (May 2022 map)
- NE corner (DGPS)
- 39°10.750′ N, 74°32.450′ W — reeflocs.pdf
- NW corner (DGPS)
- 39°11.100′ N, 74°32.850′ W — reeflocs.pdf
- SE corner (DGPS)
- 39°09.400′ N, 74°34.620′ W — reeflocs.pdf
- SW corner (DGPS)
- 39°09.820′ N, 74°34.970′ W — reeflocs.pdf
- 7 Eternal Reef Balls (2024)
- April 16, 2024 — 39°09.872′ N, 74°34.028′ W (NJDEP program page; Strathmere Fishing and Environmental Club)
Ocean City Reef is the public Cape May County ocean box off Ocean City, NJ. Great Egg Inlet boats do not need a whispered GPS for the site. They need the current PDF.
Official box
4.5 nm off Ocean City NJ. May 2022 map: 1.4 sq mi, 56–66 ft, not for navigational purposes. Legend: concrete, dredge rock, military vehicles, reef balls, ships, steel, tires.
| Corner | Latitude | Longitude |
|---|---|---|
| NE | 39°10.750′ N | 74°32.450′ W |
| NW | 39°11.100′ N | 74°32.850′ W |
| SE | 39°09.400′ N | 74°34.620′ W |
| SW | 39°09.820′ N | 74°34.970′ W |
The box is a parallelogram, not a north–south rectangle. Copy the sheet, then open the PDF yourself.
Named drops (sample)
From the NJDEP program page (not the 2022 PDF table):
- 7 Eternal Reef Balls, April 16, 2024 — 39°09.872′ N, 74°34.028′ W (Strathmere Fishing and Environmental Club)
- 8 Eternal Reef Balls, May 8, 2023 — 39°10.523′ N, 74°33.026′ W (families and friends)
- 4 Memorial Reef Balls, June 30, 2023 — 39°10.545′ N, 74°33.034′ W
From the Ocean City Reef PDF:
- 195-foot hopper barge Libra (Klus Mermaid Reef), June 12, 1997 — 39°10.800′ N, 74°32.740′ W
- 40-foot ferrocement lobster boat SS Minnow, November 16, 1990 — 39°10.080′ N, 74°33.820′ W
We are not pasting the rest of the ID table (reef balls, tanks, tire units, memorials).
Seasons
Same statewide 2026 tautog / sea bass / fluke windows as every other ocean reef: NJ saltwater seasons 2026.
South: Townsends Inlet Reef. Farther east: Deepwater Reef. North of Great Egg: Little Egg remains the next Cast Cruise page up the coast.
Sources checked
Electronics and comms, not $10 staples
Chart + sonar for the 4.5 nm box
Garmin ECHOMAP UHD2 73sv
$999.99 when checked on Amazon for the GT54 transducer bundle
Fixed-mount VHF with GPS/DSC
Icom IC-M330G
$228.12 when checked on Amazon for the black GPS model
Handheld backup
Standard Horizon HX890
$269.99 when checked on Amazon for the navy listing