Random set of the day: Deep Reef Refuge
Posted by Huwbot,Today's random set is 6441 Deep Reef Refuge, released during 1997. It's one of 47 Town sets produced that year. It contains 433 pieces and 5 minifigs, and its retail price was US$60.
It's owned by 1,837 Brickset members. If you want to add it to your collection you might find it for sale at BrickLink or eBay.
142 likes
50 comments on this article
Divers was such a gem, a rare bright spark in the otherwise slim pickings of city-themed sets in the late 90s.
Divers was such a gem, a rare bright spark in the otherwise slim pickings of city-themed sets in the late 90s.
This one is my white shark, I'll find it some day
Divers!
I never had this set--would have loved it--but I did have a enough of the medium and smaller sets that I could have put this together, barring the underwater lab.
Always did want that underwater lab, though.
Dolphin! And a whole host of every other sea critter. What a bargain at SIXTY DOLLARS?! Well, for all the animals, I'll do it.
My gut reaction was that I owned this as a kid, since I had all of those animals (except the dolphin, which I missed in the image). However, I don't think I owned _two_ rays, and I certainly never got two in the same set. After researching, I've determined that I actually owned 6599 and, much later, 7161. And a few sets that came with the black octopus.
So many animals! Underwater battlepack? Nah, too big for a battlepack. This was an army starter kit.
@MCLegoboy said:
"Dolphin! And a whole host of every other sea critter. What a bargain at SIXTY DOLLARS?! Well, for all the animals, I'll do it."
That's a day and a half at minimum wage, pre-tax, back in 1997.
@PurpleDave said:
"That's a day and a half at minimum wage, pre-tax, back in 1997."
But-- But aminals... I want the aminals.
$30 at KB Toys in early 1999. Bought 2. Fantastic set.
It must be Jang’s day today with this set.
The submarines are great here, especially for the time (although slightly juniorised) - when was the last time we even got a non-licensed LEGO submarine? The creature molds are also beautiful, I love that white shark. However I’ve always struggled with my imagination for underwater sets, failing to think of my floor as under the sea.
Lovely set; like @PurpleDave I'm fairly sure I don't have it, but I have a ton of these pieces like most of the animals and some sub panels from like-[and then-less-expensive]-sets from the era.
Those old dolphins look like a different species to the newer ones, maybe like a porpoise or some such variation. Sadly, they are pricey on BL.
I really regret leaving this set in a south-facing window for as long as I did: a lot of the pieces yellowed badly. At least they were easier to replace with parts from other set than the ones in 8536, who I left in the same window. I always loved the way the divers entered the lab: not through an airlock, but through a hole in the floor, the lab presumably being kept from flooding by the air pressure. The claws on the sub are another Mixel-joint-compatible piece I'd like to see them reintroduce.
@Snifflegully said:
"It must be Jang’s day today with this set.
The submarines are great here, especially for the time (although slightly juniorised) - when was the last time we even got a non-licensed LEGO submarine? The creature molds are also beautiful, I love that white shark. However I’ve always struggled with my imagination for underwater sets, failing to think of my floor as under the sea."
2020 City had a whole range of sea exploration.
60264 was had a full sub, and the new Angler fish piece.
@Snifflegully said:
"when was the last time we even got a non-licensed LEGO submarine?"
31130 in 2022?
This set gave me so much joy. But I longed for 6559 and that skeleton.
@Snifflegully
Last year gave us 11018, 11964, and 31130. The latter even comes with minifigs.
@TheOtherMike:
I think Frank Zappa wrote a song about that.
One of my favorite subthemes (pun somewhat intended). I didn’t have this one but 6442 and 6558 are two of my favorite sets of all time. Still have the sub built from 6442.
While I was in my Dark Age when the wonderful Divers theme was in production, I did snap out of it in time to score a good portion of the theme on the aftermarket while they were still reasonably priced (including 6441). One of my favorite Town subthemes ever. Very well-designed sets. Hard not to miss those porthole panels and finger hinges.
Ahhh, this one I wanted so badly back in 1997! I even hung a poster of it from the LEGO MANIA Magazine on my wall to imagine what it would be like to live in an underwater lab. But 1997 was a PACKED year. My birthday was all about U.F.O. I think I squeezed in a Fright Knights set in there as well as a Time Twisters' Twisted Time Train from Christmas 1996. For Christmas in 1997, I did indeed get a Divers set, but it wasn't this one, it was Shark Cage Cove (6558). I liked it a lot, but it was missing the lab!
In retrospect, I am sort of glad I didn't get the Deep Reef Refuge back then because all that white would have yellowed to heck just like other white sets I got from 1995 to 2000. Maybe if I ever come across the beauty brand-new, I'll get it!
Ok, this set, this set is awwwesome. If I was a child at that time, this would be at the top of my list.
In the toooown
Where I was boooorn...
Oh, sorry; something caught my eye.:D
Also, that 'reef' doesn't appear too 'deep'...
And, this was a weird time period for TLG, with parts that were so specialized...although: if Mickey's rocket from 10774 had an ACTUAL viewport/screen, it would have been waaay better...
The yellow machine looks like it is about to grab the white lab's uhh, aft bubble.
So the question becomes, refuge from what?
When I saw this theme I wanted to have at least a proper submarine, not a miniature substitude. So it was either this set or 6442. I felt so lucky that Lego made a smaller set with larger submarine. I think this was one of the finest sub-themes in Lego.
A little gem in some of the more ho hum sets in the late 90's early 2000's. One of the first new sets I bought out of my dark ages.. Then I sold it. Missed it so much that i found someone selling one in box on eBay and bought it again... Its a really neat playset with lots of play opportunity with the little underwater base module and some great creatures in it.
This is a really neat base. I wanted it so much as a kid. In just one set, it really encapsulates the entire Divers theme. I found a mostly complete example on eBay a few years ago, and it's one of my favorite sets now.
A boat, a sun and a base all in one set? Astounding value
Mm I remember how it felt to look at this in the Lego catalogue.
They never redid the diver's glasses after 1997? Weird that the port hole piece (30080c01) is also not showing up here in the parts list.
@MeisterDad said:
"The yellow machine looks like it is about to grab the white lab's uhh, aft bubble."
Can't unsee that.
I once bought several of these Divers sets from an ebay seller (most of them even with box): 6555 Sea Hunter, 6558 Shark Cage Cove, 6559 Deep Sea Bounty and 6560 Diving Expedition Explorer but this one here was not included, unfortunately. So this would be my white whale except there's (the remains of) one in 6559 so, uhm, white shark? White lab? Anyway I wouldn't mind getting this one someday still, the others have been a real favourite with my boys :-)
Has anyone ever seen 1782 , as this was different from the usual boat and sub and seemed to be the most economical way of getting lots of sealife and divers? Never understood why there were two similar sets 6559 and 6560 , except the slightly larger later one with around 120 more pieces was nearly twice the price?
@Snifflegully said:
"It must be Jang’s day today with this set.
The submarines are great here, especially for the time (although slightly juniorised) - when was the last time we even got a non-licensed LEGO submarine? The creature molds are also beautiful, I love that white shark. However I’ve always struggled with my imagination for underwater sets, failing to think of my floor as under the sea."
There are ways to get a boost with the imagination. If you didn't, get a look at the wonderful solution Robin Hood Bricks came up with, with his under the sea layout. He has such a great approach to the hobby!
This set is one of the best in the entire 90s. That it's from 1997 is irrelevant to its greatness!
You get everything: a rare underwater base (one of the best and one of the only fully enclosed ones), a great decently sized sub, a decently sized boat, FIVE decently sized animals and a lot of undersea detail and diving equipment.
I'd like to see sets this complete again one day.
@ambr said:
"Has anyone ever seen 1782 , as this was different from the usual boat and sub and seemed to be the most economical way of getting lots of sealife and divers?"
I have 1782 , my only example from this theme; I must have gotten a good deal on the used market some time ago. I like the surface base concept in that set, different than using boats to launch the submersibles.
Always wanted this theme, and this set in particular. I love the animals, love the subs, love that it's exploration and science (vs. conflict). It feels like you could make a really nice scene around a town, assuming you had a way to separate the levels. I think, across my collecting, I've found the tiniest of the subs, but that's it. Someday, I suppose...
@Zordboy said:
"Divers was such a gem, a rare bright spark in the otherwise slim pickings of city-themed sets in the late 90s."
Divers will always have a special spot since I got 6559 : Deep Sea Bounty gifted to me back then when it was new.
Overall the entire wave seemed strong, lots of baseplates to make a huge layout, and that was really unique to this theme to have so many sets with area of seafloor.
And it's nice that the 2015 and especially 2020 City wave, and even recent 3-in-1 submarine continues in a very Divers style, especially 2020 onward with newer animals, and different colors of the newer Ray also then showed up via Ninjago or Avatar later.
60265 : Ocean Exploration Base was a great set (altho that US price was crazy high), and it even got a full year extra shelf time before retirement compared to the other 2020 diving sets.
Even 60221 : Diving Yacht was a good set for the price, while a brick built boat might be more nostalgic, this still makes a good toy when a hull floats.
LEGO should really bring back Tan baseplates as a seperate product too.
@ambr said:
"Never understood why there were two similar sets 6559 and 6560 , except the slightly larger later one with around 120 more pieces was nearly twice the price?"
Must be that “Disney/Star Wars tax” everyone keeps blaming for prices they feel are too high.
@brick_r said:
"In the toooown
Where I was boooorn..."
Live a maaan, who sailed to seaaa
and he told us of his life of his life
with the submarines!
What a timely random set of the day. I just dug this out of my old childhood bin of LEGO and pieced it back together. Only missing a couple parts I had to bricklink. Back in 1997, this was my absolute favorite set, and also the biggest set I had growing up. We were not a wealthy family, so the fact that my mom found a way to get this was amazing. I think it was my birthday and Christmas combined. She knew how much I was obsessed with it.
Fantastic set! The first Lego set I bought my oldest son for his 4th birthday. Divers was fun, educational, and had quality builds. I was hoping the National Geographic subtheme would continue for more than a year - great stuff.
I love that the instructions for this and Shark Cage Cove match up when placed next to each other.
https://www.instagram.com/p/Co86yMKNTOd/?igshid=YmMyMTA2M2Y=
Did any other other Divers sets work the same way?
@Murdoch17 said:
" @brick_r said:
"In the toooown
Where I was boooorn..."
Live a maaan, who sailed to seaaa
and he told us of his life of his life
with the submarines!"
So we saiiiiiiiiiled
Out to the sun
'Till we foooouuuund
A sea of green
And we liiiiiiiived
Beneath the waaaves
In our yeeeellooow
Submarine
This came out in the period when I moved out on my own after college. I was buying A LOT of Lego sets at the time. Eventually I realized I was buying TOO many. (Yes, it's possible.) I was buying sets that I really didn't care about just for the rush of having a new Lego set. Eventually cut back my purchases to the ones I really wanted (mostly Space). ...and I'm not sure if I have this one or not. I really need to do a full inventory at some point. I kept ALL the boxes from every set I've ever had (except some early 80s small sets, road plates, and some polybags), so that should be possible.
Instantly thought of Robin Hood Bricks on YouTube when I saw this set. I wasn't familiar with Divers until he started using the pieces in builds.
It's incredible to see that this Divers subtheme appeared during the same year of a massive juniorization of many Town sets.
Divers was a brilliant subtheme, full of playability, perfectly fitting with the Nautica sets : 6540 6541 6542 6543 .
No way! Never thought I would see THE set of my childhood in this series! Countless hours of endless fun have been had with this set. Lots of neat playfeatures. A few years ago, when I exited my dark age, this was the first one to be rebuilt and put on display, where it still stands behind me right now.
I remember looking at this set in the LEGO catalogs as a kid and wanting it because of how cool the subs looked. Never did get one, but maybe I'll end up getting it as an adult for the nostalgia lol.
@MayoLego said:
"I love that the instructions for this and Shark Cage Cove match up when placed next to each other.
https://www.instagram.com/p/Co86yMKNTOd/?igshid=YmMyMTA2M2Y=
Did any other other Divers sets work the same way?"
They don't really match up, the horizon lines are different.
@Ze_Carlos said:
"There are ways to get a boost with the imagination. If you didn't, get a look at the wonderful solution Robin Hood Bricks came up with, with his under the sea layout. He has such a great approach to the hobby!"
I see, those are great ideas using those rocks more to help, thanks.
Thank you @Miyakan @PurpleDave @binaryeye for the submarine appearances, some City ones I didn’t know about so a lot more new subs than I thought, however I can’t believe I forgot about the recent Creator set! That was a great one.