The U.S. coastline is a treasure trove of maritime history. With more than 95,000 miles of shoreline and hundreds of years of naval activities, it is not a surprise that several ships met their fate in American waters.
These wrecks are not just broken ships, twisted metal or sunken wooden frames; they are a capsule into the past, which have preserved tales of maritime commerce, trade, war, disasters and heroic exploration attempts to uncharted lands. In this article, we discuss the 10 historic shipwreck sites along the U.S. coast that continue to fascinate divers, historians, and maritime enthusiasts alike.
1. USS Monitor
The USS Monitor was the Union Navy’s first ironclad warship built during the American Civil War. It is remembered for its role in the Battle of Hampton Roads, in which it fought the casemate ironclad CSS Virginia.
However, the ship proved to be less seaworthy as it sank during a storm on December 31, 1862, 16 miles southeast of Cape Hatteras, North Carolina.
It sank, taking 16 of the 62 crew members with it. However, the ship was rediscovered in 1973 and was designated the nation’s first National Marine Sanctuary in 1975.
Several artefacts from USS Monitor, including her turret, anchor, steam engine, delicate glass bottles, wood panelling, leather book cover, walnut halves, etc, were raised and are on display at the Mariners’ Museum in Newport News, Virginia.
USS Monitor has now become an artificial reef and is inhabited by hundreds of fish species, like oyster toadfish, great barracuda, amberjack, black sea bass, etc.
2. Andrea Doria
This luxury Italian Ocean Liner collided with the Swedish Ship Stockholm due to heavy fog conditions on July 25, 1956, 50 miles south of Nantucket Island. The incident occurred when it was approaching the New York Harbour.
She was struck on her starboard side and listed severely, taking on water, making half the lifeboats unusable. The ship, however, stayed afloat for more than 11 hours after the collision, allowing the well-trained crew to save the 1660 people onboard, though 46 died as a direct result of the impact.
However, swift response from other ships and proper communication averted a disaster similar to the Titanic. Today, its wreck has become a popular site for advanced divers, though it is dangerous due to the presence of strong currents and decaying structures. It has been dubbed the ‘Mount Everest of Wreck Diving’ and rightly so, as 15 people have died while exploring the Andrea Doria.
3. El Cazador
This Spanish Brigantine sank in the Gulf of Mexico in 1784 while carrying massive amounts of silver coins from Mexico City to New Orleans. These coins were intended to boost the faltering economy of the Spanish Louisiana Territory, which was struggling with a paper-based currency not backed by gold or silver.
It was discovered in 1993 by a fishing trawler, after remaining lost for two centuries, and historians highlight that if it had not sunk, the silver would have helped to stabilise Spain’s economy in Louisiana, preventing its later sale to France and then to the U.S.
The coins and other artefacts from the wreck were studied and are considered great historical pieces. The wreck site is a symbolic reminder of the colonial maritime history and monetary policies.
4. U-166
The German U-boat U-166 wreck site lies in the Gulf of Mexico, 45 miles southeast of the Mississippi River Delta.
It is 1524 m deep and 80 km southeast of New Orleans. It was found in 2001 during a pipeline survey. It is significant because it is the only U-boat lost in the region, having been sunk by the U.S Navy patrol craft 56 on July 30, 1942.
The wreck is a war grave, and the site has distinct areas like the stern wreckage, the bow wreckage, and a field of debris, deck guns, conning tower, etc.
The historic U.S Wreck site was investigated and studied, including mapping in 2003.
5. Peter Iredale
The four-masted steel barque built in England left Mexico for Portland to pick a cargo of wheat for the U.K on September 26, 1906.
Despite heavy fog, the vessel reached the mouth of the Columbia River, but while waiting for a pilot, a heavy southeast wind blew and a strong current prevailed, and before the vessel could be veered around, she was in the breakers despite all efforts.
She ran aground at Clatsop Beach and hit hard, leading her 3 masts to snap, though luckily no crew members were hurt. Captain Lawrence ordered to abandon it, and rockets were launched to signal for help. Everyone onboard was saved, thanks to the swift response by the lifesaving station at Point Adams.
The wrecked vessel became an immediate tourist attraction, and over the years, the wreck, broken by wind, waves, and sand, continues to be a popular spot.
6. City of Rio de Janeiro Sinking
This passenger steamship was built in 1878 and sailed between Asia and San Francisco regularly. It met a tragic fate during one of its trans-Pacific voyages on February 22, 1901, when it was caught in dense fog while entering San Francisco Bay.
Hence, the ship struck a submerged reef close to Fort Point, outside the Golden Gate.
In just 10 minutes, the hull of the ship was torn open, and it sank quickly. Due to the speed of the sinking and the ensuing confusion, rescue efforts were delayed and disorganised, leading to 128 deaths, mostly of Japanese and Chinese immigrants who were on the lower decks and could not escape as the ship flooded.
Around 82 people survived the incident. The wreck was found after more than 100 years in 2014 by a team from NOAA.
Lying at a depth of 87 m, the shipwreck is a protected archaeological site, and no recovery or salvage was allowed; it is preserved as a maritime grave.
The hull is remarkably well preserved, and artefacts and images from the site have been recorded. The wreck is sometimes called the ‘Titanic of the Golden Gate’ due to the high death toll.
7. Queen Anne’s Revenge
This former slave ship was renamed Queen Anne’s Revenge by the pirate Blackbeard after he captured the vessel. From 1717 to 1718, the ship sailed the waters of the Caribbean and North America, especially the Bahamas and the Carolinas.
In June 1718, the ship ran aground on a sandbar close to Beaufort Inlet, North Carolina. It could be due to shallow waters or deliberate scuttling by Blackbeard to reduce the size of his crew and keep more treasure.
Blackbeard escaped and continued his pirating with a small sloop until he was killed a few months later by Royal Navy Lieutenant Robert Maynard.
The famous wreck was discovered in 1996, and several artefacts were recovered, including more than 30 cannons, thousands of musket balls, tools and blades, navigational instruments, apothecary gear, medical syringes, gold dust, beads, and pewter plates.
The site is protected under U.S. law as an underwater cultural heritage site.
8. SS Republic
The Civil War-era steamship, built in 1853, sank during a hurricane about 100 miles off the coast of Savannah, Georgia. It lies at a depth of 518 m in the Atlantic Ocean.
The ship was carrying a massive shipment of gold and silver coins, which were intended to help rebuild the economy of the South after the Civil War.
All those onboard were rescued, but the precious cargo was lost, until 2003 when Odyssey Marine Exploration located the wreck.
More than 51,000 coins were recovered from the wreck, minted before and during the Civil War, along with several ceramic, glassware and other tools which were found in good condition, thanks to the depth and the cold waters.
9. Whydah Gally
This was originally a slave ship that was captured by pirate Samuel ‘Black Sam’’ Bellamy, who retrofitted it as his flagship with 28 guns.
Known for its remarkable speed, the ship was loaded with goods from over 50 captured ships when it was caught in a violent nor’easter.
It wrecked on a sandbar off Cape Cod, just 500 to 1000 feet offshore. Of the 146 people onboard, just 2 survived.
The ship was discovered in 1984 by underwater explorer Barry Clifford. It lies around 14 feet deep in a high-energy surf zone. It was a groundbreaking finding as it is the only fully authenticated pirate shipwreck ever recovered, verified by the ship’s bell.
Among the 200,000 items found were gold and silver coins, cannons and weaponry, navigational instruments, personal items like buttons, shoes, African jewellery, trade beads, etc.
The Whydah Pirate Museum in West Yarmouth, Massachusetts, houses many of the items.
10. SS Oregon
On March 14, 1886, while on its way to Liverpool from New York, the Oregon collided with a schooner in the morning hours about 18 miles southeast of Fire Island, New York, during fog-like conditions.
The sharp wooden bow of the schooner tore a hole in the Oregon’s starboard bow, and the liner began to take on water.
Captain Cottier realised the ship would sink and ordered the 852 passengers and crew to get into lifeboats. The vessel remained afloat for some hours, and other ships came to its rescue.
Thankfully, everyone was saved, but the material loss was massive. The ship was loaded with cargo, U.S mail, personal belongings of passengers and valuable furnishings and fittings.
The wreck lies around 40 m deep off Fire Island, New York. It is now an artificial reef which is home to lobsters, black sea bass, conger eels and other reef fish.
It is also a popular dive site for advanced divers in the Northeast U.S.
Conclusion
These 10 historic shipwrecks along the U.S Coast tell several stories about the maritime heritage, traditions and exchanges in America. They are a time capsule into a rich maritime past and offer glimpses into the trade routes, cargo carried, cultural exchanges between communities and much more. Artefacts from these wrecks are housed in museums, while many wrecks are also famous diving destinations frequented by hundreds annually.
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