New Jersey Scuba Diving

Type:

shipwreck, barge (s?)

Depth:

90 ft

The "Bald Eagle" consists of a substantial amount of wreckage, including stone piles, wood ribs, metal ribs, and metal debris. The wreckage is scattered in all directions, and this, along with the variety of different materials found, makes it very likely that this is not a single wreck, but the superimposed remains of two or more unidentified vessels. In one part there is a recognizable stern section, with a propeller. Some parts of the wreck are separated from the main section, and may in fact be small wrecks of their own. Or it could all be the torn-apart remains of a single very large wreck.

Judging by the bottles you can find, at least part of this wreck dates from the early part of the twentieth century. However, these could have been dumped onto the site after the fact. Lobstering here is often an exercise in frustration, but it would be unusual to go home without at least one. Sometimes you can move the stones to get at them, but most of them have seemingly bottomless holes to retreat into. Fish life is profuse. Visibility tends to be better than inshore sites, but still not great, and easily ruined by stirring up the silty bottom.

The Bald Eagle sits on the edge of the old 12-Mile dump. It is possible that when the vessel was worn-out, it was simply sunk, full of garbage, now diver treasure. Or the garbage was dumped on top of the wreck.