Black Sunday

U-151's path from Isabel B Wiley to Carolina

The U-151 was the first German U-boat to operate in U.S. territory in World War I. The U-151 is not actually sunk in these waters ( it was sunk deep off Virginia after the war, ) but it did "contribute" the following six shipwrecks, all on the same day, Sunday, June 2, 1918:


Shipwreck SS Carolina
Type:
shipwreck, liner, USA
Built:
1896, Newport News Shipbuilding, Newport News VA USA, as La Grande Duchesse
Specs:
( 380 x 47 ft ) 5017 gross tons, 330 passengers & crew
Sunk:
Sunday June 2, 1918
shelled by U-151 - 13 casualties
Depth:
250 ft

Shipwreck Edward H. Cole
Type:
shipwreck, schooner, USA
Built:
1904, Cobb Butler & Co, Rockland ME USA
Specs:
( 228 x 43 ft ) 1791 gross tons
Sunk:
Sunday June 2, 1918
bombed by U-151 - no casualties
Depth:
185 ft

Shipwreck Isabel B. Wiley
Type:
shipwreck, schooner, USA
Built:
1901, Goss & Sawyer, Rockland Me USA
Specs:
( 226 x 43 ft ) 1778 gross tons
Sunk:
Sunday June 2, 1918
bombed by U-151 - no casualties
Depth:
200 ft


Shipwreck Texel
Type:
shipwreck, tanker, USA
Name:
Texel is the easternmost of the Frisian islands off the coast of Holland, which are similar to our own barrier islands.
Built:
1913, Denmark
Specs:
( 331 x 48 ft ) 3220 gross tons, 36 crew
Sunk:
Sunday June 2, 1918
bombed by U-151 - no casualties
Depth:
230 ft

Shipwreck Winneconne
Type:
shipwreck, freighter, USA
Name:
Named for a town in eastern Wisconsin?
Built:
1907, England, as Hogland
Specs:
( 271 x 39 ft ) 1869 gross tons
Sunk:
Sunday June 2, 1918
bombed by U-151 - no casualties
Depth:
220 ft

Shark River - Looking back from the end of the south jetty
Looking back from the end of the south jetty.
Type:
smallish tidal river inlet with stone jetties or bulkheads on both sides
Depth:
15 ft

The Shark River is your best bet for shore diving in the northern half of the New Jersey coastline, far better than the Manasquan River. Shark River offers at least four different locations to dive: either side of the inlet, with rock jetties to explore, slightly upstream at A Street in Belmar, and upriver in the back bay area at L Street, Belmar. The wreck of the Malta is also just a few blocks south on the beach, but hardly worth diving.