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Today the Chaparra lies in 80 ft of water on a sandy bottom. Her hull lies on its port side, and is flattened out. The bow offers the most relief off the bottom. Her boilers and engine still visible, some portions covered by large hull plates. She is generally a good lobster wreck. Artifacts can still be found, digging is usually needed. She is sometimes called the Offshore Barge. A mine from the U-117 also sank the San Saba.
Unable to keep way in rough seas because of failing engines, the wood-hulled Charlemagne Tower was running for the shore to beach herself when she foundered and sank. Her remains consist of a low debris field, boiler, etc. Also known as the "Cedar Creek Wreck."
This site is really just a jumble of machinery. Anything resembling a ship has long-since disappeared. Various clues around the site would seem to indicate a wooden-hulled trawler, probably built before the war ( WWII ) and sunk some time after.
Another schooner barge or sailing ship. Close to shore and very near the Maurice Tracy. It is sometimes a second or third dive because of this. She's in 70 feet of water on a sandy seafloor. Lots of wood walls and some decking, its been better for spearfishing lately rather than bugs, but that'll depend on when she was last dived.
Named after the fishing boat that found the spot.
The Harry Rush is described as a freighter by Krotee, not always the most reliable source. The wreck commonly known as the Harry Rush is a sailing ship. The wreck is the typical three parallel wooden walls, very low-lying, with some steam machinery and chain pile at the west end. The orientation of the wreck is unusual, as if it sank while running for the shore, rather than riding out a storm. The absence of towing bits makes it likely this was a true sailing ship rather than a schooner barge.
7-9 unidentified wooden barges. Lots of wood decking and low-lying walls which go a long ways.
The bow of the Persephone was broken off and towed to New York by salvagers. 21,000 barrels of oil were saved, and her midship house was removed intact and placed on the tanker Livingston Roe. The rest of the wreck was blown up by the Coast Guard after being struck more than once by passing vessels.
Only a debris field of overlapping hull plates remains, no longer ship-like. Many of the plates are twisted into fantastic shapes that would undoubtedly fetch a high price on the modern art market if they were above water.
Krotee has a rather confused listing for a wooden trawler Reliable ( which he also calls Sea Hag ) sunk in this vicinity.
Being a hazard to navigation, the iron hulled San Saba was demolished a week after sinking. Today she sits in 80 ft of water in two mangled pieces of wreckage. The bow section is a jumble of hull plates, with winches and other machinery still visible. The stern section, some 250 ft away is also broken up. The boilers are still visible at the end closest to the bow. Her propeller can still be found, as well as wreckage off to the starboard side. Many artifacts can still be found. Glassware, brass, .22 caliber bullets, and china are still being brought up with a little digging. The San Saba is sometimes called the "Southwest Barge", or the "Magnolia Wreck", for the anti-friction metal bars she was carrying.
A mine from the U-117 also sank the Chaparra.
A large wooden sailing ship, more intact than most. The hull is almost complete, 8-10 feet high, with a Navy-style stockless anchor in one side of the bow, and bowsprit lying in the sand below. The bowsprit indicates that this was a true sailing ship, and not a schooner barge. I saw no sign of towing bits, bow or stern. The stern is broken down.
The anchor
The "billetted" bow - reinforced for a bowsprit
Machinery near the bow
Donkey boiler near the bow
The broken stern, from inside ...
... and outside
wooden , alternately buried and exposed
low debris field, possibly buried, 300 yards offshore
A large wooden wreck, with a massive central keel, and very low-lying side walls. Scattered large machinery, chain, and old-style anchor at the west end.
This small harbor tug was bought by someone who wanted to convert it to some other-than-tug use, but it was lost and is now sitting on its port side in 55 ft of water, with the port railing right at the sand. The starboard hull is completely exposed, and there is an opening through it into the engine room that is large enough for a diver to enter. Apparently there was a failed attempt to salvage the engine. There are also two less hazardous entry points - the topside access, which is very large, and a port side hatchway.
Otherwise, the wreck is in pretty good shape, and covered with white cold-water corals which gave it a "glow" in the clear shallow water. On this dive we had 60+ feet vis everywhere except within about 5 ft of the sand - blue 68°F water above the thermocline. There were baitfish and a large-ish Barracuda there, along with a large collection of Conger Eels and other common Atlantic shore fish. We also saw a juvenile Spotfin Butterfly hiding in one of the starboard side fenders. A fun wreck to explore inside and out, especially given the warm, clear water.
Description courtesy of diver Art Greenberg
wooden
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Copyright © 1996-2008 Rich Galiano
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