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Reef Innovations, Inc.

2415 McMichael Road
St. Cloud, Florida 34771-9251
U.S.A.

Ph: 407-957-5821
Fax: 407-957-1013
Pgr: 800-815-2072

Email reefballer@hotmail.com

1997 Project Report

This project report is prepared for the Reef Ball Development Group to inform them of the activities that Reef Innovations, Inc. has been involved in during the 1997 calendar year. Each project is listed with a brief description about the project, #of units constructed , location of construction and deployment, community and or press involvement and the overall success of the projects.

Disney Cruise Lines: (January) R.I. was contracted to construct 435 Reef Ball units (455 were built) of all sizes to be deployed in the Bahamas at Adventure Cay ( Gordo Cay ). These units (59 RB's, 164 PB's, 174 BBs, 28 Lo-Pro's, 30 Oyst's) will be placed in shallow water in a protected lagoon to produce a snorkeling reef for the passengers aboard the new Disney Cruise Lines vessel due to set sail in January 98'. The balls were delivered to the staging area in Port Canaveral in early January. They were constructed at the Rinker Plant in Port Canaveral. The units were due to be shipped to the island in March, however, construction delays on the island has postponed the deliver until November. We will be notified if the contractor needs any assistance deploying the Reef Balls. We had several articles in the local papers as well as internal press releases at Rinker and Disney Cruise Lines. The project was a great success and all involved were extremely satisfied.

South Carolina DNR: (March-May) This project was a joint venture between R.I. and Geothermal Energy Management. This project was set up in order to provide Geothermal training, and outfit them with the necessary tools and equipment for Reef Ball construction. They planned to open a new field for Reef Ball in the area of Geothermal technology. The units were constructed on Hutchinson Isl. in Ga. on a site that Geothermal leased for the project. The project called for 1200 Pallet Ball units to be produced and deployed of the coast of South Carolina. The coordinates for these sites are in Geothermal's possession.

University Of Massachusetts:(June-July) R.I was contracted by UMASS to build and deploy 75 Reef units. (86 were built)(50 RB's, and 36 PB's). R.I. hired a local student to help with the project. Brent Grindrod came on board full time. We received great press coverage on the local news and in the paper. Local State Representative visited the site. We constructed the units at Lindberg Marine, who we also contracted to deploy the units. Prices were a little higher up there , but the people were wonderful. The site is configured with a center of 20 RB's and four corners of 9 PB's and then a three patches of 5RB's on the north and the south border. The center of the site is located at Loran #'s 14228.0 x 43976.6. This was the first deployment that a new lifting rope was designed for deploying RB's to the bottom, upright, with out damage, and without the need for divers. It was a great success and many thanks to Dick Searles of Lindberg Marine for his help in designing the system. This project was a huge success for all involved as well as the local community who supported the project, many of which we now call friends.

Charlotte Harbor Artif. Reef Assc: The CHARA group bought 2-BB's,2L-P's, 2 oyst, and 2 mini's.These units are to be placed in an estuary environment and under some docks to provide juvenile habitat. This is a test project so we sold them the units at grant prices. After a few months of study, the prospect for larger project in this area looks great. They will keep us posted.

Sarasota Reef: (August-September)The Sarasota county DNR acquired another grant from the Tire Recyclers to produce and deploy an additional 140 Bay Ball units to the Hartz and Jansen reefs in Sarasota Bay. We produced 150 units for them and these were added to the sites in September. The units were constructed at the Martin Concrete plant in Sarasota. These Balls were constructed with a 50#'s microsilica/ yrd of concrete. During this project the first "Juvie" ball was created.

Sarasota Beach Buoy Project:(September) This was a unique new design for Reef Ball. We placed a Bay Ball in a 6'x4' footer, implanted a screw anchor for extra anchoring support and then imbedded a danforth anchor to attach a counter weight and buoy system to. These were designed to place along beaches and channels for no-wake zones, idle speed zones and swim area buoys. Some local news coverage and papers reported the project. The Buoys are being deployed in December. Attached to this report is a design of this unit. There has been alot of interest from other agencies to use this unit after it proves its success.

Sarasota Channel Marker Project: (September)R.I. provided Mike Solum with 7 Pallet Ball units for his continued project of placing them around channel markers in Sarasota Bay to enhance marine life and to add addition stabilization to these markers. This is a continuing project that will be going on for some time into the future.

Long Bay Artif. Reef Association:(November-December) R.I. was contracted by the Long Bay Artificial Reef Association in Wilmington, N.C. to construct 365 Pallet Ball units to be deployed by the state using an LCM. The association members are helping with the construction of the units which will increase the number to possibly 400 PB's. A lot of local news coverage and news paper articles are reporting on this wonderful new project for the state and many other groups are waiting for their turn to do a similar project. A press conference is being held in December and state representatives as well as media groups will be there, the governor has even been invited. The units will be deployed off Brunswick county sometime in the first part of 1998, weather pending, on existing reef sites. A local Saltwater TV show will be reporting on the entire project. As a bonus a movie is being filmed on our construction site and Reef Balls may very well be in it. The movie is called"Black Dog" and stars Patrick Swayze and Randy Travis, keep your eyes out for this one. Site coordinates will be reported when they are released.

Holland America Cruises: (December) R.I. has been contracted to build 40 Bay Balls and 20 Pallet Balls. These units will be freighted over to Half Moon Cay(Lil San Salvador Isl) then they will be deployed by floating methods and anchored in a shallow lagoon for a snorkeling reef for the cruise ship passengers. These balls were built in Sarasota and Brooksville, Fl. This will be a test project, if all goes well Holland America will certainly want more.

Scuba Quest Project: R.I. is providing Scuba Quest of Sarasota with 10 or so Bay Ball units to connect two Tanks together in the Gulf. Deployment is pending due to weather and business. We will keep you posted on this matter.

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This page is copyright © 1995/1996/1997 by RBDG, Ltd. and Reef Innovations and Diving Specialists Inc.. All rights reserved . Reef Ball, Pallet Ball, Bay Ball, Lo-Pro Ball, Oyster Ball, Model Ball, Reef Cube, Pallet Cube, Bay Cube, Lo-Pro Cube, Oyster Cube, Model Cube and the RBDG logo are trademarks of the Reef Ball Development Group, Ltd. Mold systems, Swiss cheese hole patterns, deployment systems and construction techniques are patented or patent pending and all sizes of Reef Balls are copyrighted internationally. Reproduction in any form is prohibited.