The Office of Coast Survey's Automated Wreck and Obstruction Information System (AWOIS) contains information on over 10,000 submerged wrecks and obstructions in the coastal waters of the United States. Information includes latitude and longitude of each feature along with brief historic and descriptive details.
In 1981, the National Ocean Service (NOS) implemented the Automated Wreck and Obstruction Information System (AWOIS) to assist in planning hydrographic survey operations and to catalog and store a substantial volume of reported wrecks and obstructions that are considered navigational hazards within U.S. coastal waters. Today, over 10,000 reports have been received, which include unverified accounts of vessel casualties, as well as chronological history. As part of the hydrographic survey planning process, these records are reviewed and those wrecks or obstructions which require additional field investigation are assigned to specific field units. The results of these investigations eventually become part of the AWOIS file so that a permanent record of a wreck or obstruction is always available.
Besides functioning as a survey planning tool, AWOIS is of potential value to various users outside of NOS. The historical record of selected wrecks, the accessibility of information in a sorted format, and its reasonable cost make AWOIS an important information source for marine archaeologists and historians, fishermen, divers, salvage operators, and others in the marine community. Interested individuals are encouraged to use the system as a supplement to other sources of information. However, AWOIS has limitations that should be considered by potential users. Most notably, it is not a comprehensive record of wrecks in any particular area. Historical research is constantly being conducted to improve the quality of the file, but it will never completely address every known or reported wreck. The emphasis is constantly placed on wrecks which may be a hazard to navigation.
The database is broken down into sections by area; the relevant ones here are 2, 3, 4, and 5. Of the thousands of listings in the database, a few unknowns stand out as potentially of interest to divers. Listed here are only those with firm numbers and actual diver descriptions. These are listed here as "u--". A few AWOIS descriptions for known wrecks are found elsewhere in the website.
FE327SS/89 -- OPR-C147-HE-89; CONTACT #22 ON SURVEY H-10284/88; DIVER INVESTIGATION FOUND THE REMAINS OF A LARGE WOODEN SHIP OR BARGE COMPLETELY COLLAPSED UPON ITSELF; A LARGE PILE OF BLOCKS, WHICH RESEMBLED BALLAST BLOCKS, REMAINS; DIVER PNEUMATIC DEPTH GAUGE LEAST DEPTH OF 47 FT TAKEN ON TOP OF PILE OF BLOCKS. (ENTERED MSD 7/91)
More: u01 - AWOIS 8087 ...
AWOIS 12966:
H10675/96-97 -- OPR-C399-RU; 200% SIDE-SCAN SONAR LOCATED A LARGE RECTANGULAR, UNCHARTED OBSTRUCTION. DIVERS DESCRIBE A BARGE WITH SURROUNDING SCOUR. BARGE RELIEF IN SCOUR IS 2.4 METERS (8 FEET) BUT NEARLY LEVEL WITH THE BOTTOM. LD OF 8.1 METERS (26 FEET) (ENT 12/23/04, SJV)
More: u02 - AWOIS 12966/11422 ...
NM22/46 -- DERRICK BARGE WRECK LIGHTED BUOY 3, BLACK, QK FL GREEN, ESTABLISHED IN 62 FT., 1.75 MILES, 63 DEG. FROM SCOTLAND LIGHT VESSEL. BUOY LOCATED 200 FEET EAST OF SUNKEN WRECK WHICH LIES IN A SE-NW DIRECTION.
H10224/86 -- OPR-C121-WH-86; MAIN SCHEME HYDROGRAPHY AND SIDE-SCAN SONAR INVESTIGATION REVEALED WHAT APPEARED TO BE A WRECK IN FOUR PIECES 447M SW OF WRECK; FOUR DIVES WERE PERFORMED IN 1987; FOUND A BARGE, APPROXIMATELY 50 X 120 FT WITH A PNEUMATIC DEPTH GAUGE LEAST DEPTH OF 63 FT; 0-5 FT VISIBILITY; A STRUCTURE SIMILAR TO A DERRICK CRANE WAS FOUND; HYDROGRAPHER AND EVALUATOR RECOMMENDED DELETING CHARTED SYMBOL AND ADDING 63 WK AS SHOWN ON PRESENT SURVEY. (UPDATED MSD 4/91)
24 NO. 1350; BARGE, SUNK 5/30/46; POS. ACCURACY WITHIN 1 MILE;
More: u03 - AWOIS 1609 ...
FE327SS/89 -- OPR-C147-HE-89; CONTACT #15 FROM SURVEY H-10284/88; DIVER INVESTIGATION FOUND A 45 FT STEEL WRECK RESTING KEEL UP ON A HARD, SANDY BOTTOM; WRECK WAS INTACT BUT NO NAME OR MARKINGS COULD BE LOCATED; HIGHEST POINT ON WRECK WAS THE STERN ON ONE OF THE TWO SKEGS; TWIN PROPS REMAIN ON THE WRECK; WRECK RISES 4 FT OFF THE BOTTOM; 44 FT PNEUMATIC DEPTH GAUGE LEAST DEPTH. (REV. 3/22/96, SJV)
More: u04 - AWOIS 8084 ...
H10224/86-88 -- OPR-C121-WH-86-88; SIDE-SCAN SONAR AND DIVER INVESTIGATION OF CONTACT SHOWING DEFINITE WRECK CHARACTERISTICS; DIVERS FOUND A DETERIORATED WOODEN VESSEL WITH ROTTED WOODEN DECK PLANKING WHICH WAS MOSTLY SILTED OVER BY SAND; ONLY LARGE DECK TIMBERS REMAIN; NO MACHINERY FOUND; RIBS WERE OBSERVED RISING UP OFF THE BOTTOM ALONG THE EASTERN SIDE OF WRECK; DIVER GAUGE LEAST DEPTH TAKEN ON TOWING BITS AT THE NORTHERN END OF WRECK; LARGE DECK TIMBERS WERE SEEN ON WESTERN SIDE OF WRECK; 50 FT SW OF MAIN WRECKAGE, DIVERS FOUND WHAT APPEARS TO BE A PORTION OF THE SAME WRECK, RUNNING NW-SE, WOODEN RAIL-LIKE TIMBERS STICKING UP OFF THE BOTTOM 6-8 INCHES; ALSO APPEARS TO BE DETERIORATED; ON SECOND DIVE, A PILE WAS DISCOVERED ABOUT HALFWAY DOWN THE WRECK AND A PNEUMATIC DEPTH GAUGE LEAST DEPTH OF 46 FT WAS TAKEN ON IT; BEAM MEASURED 40 FT; LENGTH WAS 120 FT. (ENTERED MSD 4/91)
More: u05 - AWOIS 7940 ...
H10224/86-88 -- OPR-C121-WH-86-88; DEVELOPMENT 240; PREVIOUSLY UNCHARTED WRECK INVESTIGATED WITH 50M RANGE SIDE-SCAN SONAR AND DIVER; DIVERS FOUND A BADLY DETERIORATED WOODEN 140 X 40 FT BARGE, SITTING UPRIGHT ON A SAND BOTTOM; ALTHOUGH THE SOUTHEAST END OF WRECK IS MORE INTACT, THE LEAST DEPTH WAS LOCATED ON THE NORTHWEST END; 49 FT PNEUMATIC DEPTH GAUGE LEAST DEPTH TAKEN ON THE TOP OF A WOODEN SUPPORT RIB. (ENTERED MSD 4/91)
More: u06 - AWOIS 7938 ...
FE330SS/89 -- OPR-C147-HE-89; CONTACT #29 FROM SURVEY H-10284/88; SIDE-SCAN SONAR AND DIVER INVESTIGATION FOUND THE REMAINS OF AN OLD WOODEN WRECK; WRECKAGE CONSISTED OF FRAMING AND RIBS BUT NO PLANKING; DIVER LEADLINE LEAST DEPTH OF 41 FT TAKEN ON A MOORING CLEAT WHICH WAS ON TOP OF A VERTICAL PORTION OF THE WRECK, PROBABLY A GUNNEL; WRECKAGE WAS QUITE OLD AND BADLY WEATHERED. (ENTERED MSD 6/91)
More: u07 - AWOIS 8076 ...
H10284/88 -- OPR-C147-WH-88; AN OBSTRUCTION WAS FOUND WITH AN ESTIMATED DEPTH OF 33 FT; OBSTRUCTION IS 269M SW OF CHARTED POSITION OF THIS ITEM AND 81M SW OF POSITION OF ITEM 1571; EVALUATOR BELIEVES THAT THIS CONTACT IS THIS ITEM OR ITEM 4600; THERE ARE OTHER OBSTRUCTIONS IN THE VICINITY OF THE AWOIS ITEM THAT WERE LOCATED BY THE PRESENT SURVEY, BUT THIS IS THE MOST SIGNIFICANT AND HAS AN ESTIMATED HEIGHT THAT IS CLOSE TO THE CHARTED INFORMATION. (UPDATED MSD 6/91)
FE330SS/89 -- OPR-C147-HE-89; CONTACT #22 FROM SURVEY H-10284/88; DIVERS INVESTIGATION REVEALED THE REMAINS OF A LARGE WOODEN WRECK WHICH IS BADLY BROKEN UP, DETERIORATED, AND STREWN ABOUT THE BOTTOM; SEVERAL LARGE TIMBERS RISE AT ANGLES ABOVE THE GENERAL TREND OF THE WRECK; TIMBERS ARE MOST LIKELY THE RIBS FROM THE WRECK; LEADLINE LEAST DEPTH WAS TAKEN BY DIVERS ON THE AFTERMOST VERTICAL TIMBER; DUE TO THE DETERIORATED CONDITION OF WRECK, POSITIVE IDENTIFICATION IS NOT POSSIBLE; HOWEVER, DIVERS REPORTED THAT THE WRECKAGE WAS MORE LIKELY A BARGE THAN A WAR VESSEL (AWOIS ITEM 1571) (UPDATED MSD 6/91)
More: u08 - AWOIS 4600 ...
FE330SS/89 -- OPR-C147-HE-89; CONTACT #24 FROM SURVEY H-10284/88; SIDE-SCAN SONAR AND DIVER INVESTIGATION FOUND THE BADLY DETERIORATED WRECKAGE OF A WOODEN SHIP; A LARGE METAL MOORING OR TOWING BIT WAS FOUND IN THE WRECKAGE; LEADLINE LEAST DEPTH OF 41 FT TAKEN ON WHAT APPEARED TO BE THE RIBS OF THE WRECK. (ENTERED MSD 6/91)
More: u09 - AWOIS 8075 ...
FE331SS/89 -- OPR-C147-HE-89; CONTACT #19 FROM SURVEY H-10285/88; DIVERS LOCATED AN OVERTURNED 50 FT STEEL-HULLED BOAT WHICH ROSE APPROXIMATELY 5 FT OFF OF A SANDY BOTTOM; LEADLINE LEAST DEPTH OF 40 FT. (ENTERED MSD 7/91)
"This is a worthless rusted-out metal hull with NOTHING of interest and not even worth listing."
More: u10 - AWOIS 8097 ...
I don't remember what I meant to do with this! OOPS !!!
More: u11 ...
FE312SS/88 -- OPR-C121-WH-88; WHILE SEARCHING FOR AWOIS ITEM 1634, TWO SIDE-SCAN SONAR CONTACTS WERE LOCATED AND IDENTIFIED AS WRECKAGE (ALSO REFERENCE ITEM 7508); AN OBSTRUCTION (SSS CONTACT NO. 379.6S) WAS FOUND; DIVER LEAST DEPTH OF 36 FT. IN PRESENT SURVEY DEPTHS OF 38 FT.; REMAINS OF A PORTION OF A KEEL OF A METAL HULLED VESSEL; VESSEL WAS LYING INVERTED WITH THE KEEL EXPOSED; PORTION OF MIDSECTION OF VESSEL WAS VISIBLE; ENTIRE STRUCTURE WAS COATED WITH ANTI-FOULING PAINT; 45 FT. WIDE AT THE BEAM, 37 FT. AT THE NORTHERN END AND 18 FT. LONG; SOUTHERN END OF SITE WAS BENT AND TWISTED; HULL STOOD APPROXIMATELY 3 FT. OFF THE BOTTOM AT THE NORTHERN END, AND A SAND SCOUR AT THE SOUTHERN END EXPOSED APPROXIMATELY 6-8 FT. OF THE WRECK (3-4 FT. BELOW THE SURROUNDING BOTTOM). (ENTERED MSM 10/89)
More: u12 - AWOIS 7509 ...
H10224/86 -- OPR-C121-WH-86; WHILE INVESTIGATING ITEM 751, AN AREA WITH NUMEROUS SIDE-SCAN SONAR CONTACT WAS FOUND AND DEVELOPED USING SIDE-SCAN AND ECHO SOUNDER; DIVER INVESTIGATION DETERMINED LIMITS OF SITE, NATURE OF WRECKAGE, AND LOCATION OF THE LEAST DEPTH; SITE WAS ORIENTED NORTHEAST-SOUTHWEST; CONSISTS MOSTLY OF SHIPYARD DEBRIS IN THE FORM OF HEAT EXCHANGERS, BUCKLED DECK PLATING, TWISTED ANGLE IRON, WOODEN RIBS, AND PIPING OF VARIOUS LENGTHS AND SIZES; THE NORTHEAST END OF THE SITE CONSISTED OF A BARGE LYING IN A NORTHWEST-SOUTHEAST DIRECTION WITH THE BOW OF THE BARGE DEFINING THE SOUTHEAST WALL OF THE SITE; THE NORTHWEST END OF THE BARGE, THE STERN, WAS COVERED WITH METAL DEBRIS, HAWSER LINES, AND TRAWLER NETTING; DIVERS CONCLUDED THAT THIS SITE IS THE WRECK OF A BARGE THAT WAS FILLED WITH SHIPYARD SCRAP IRON AND DEBRIS; PNEUMATIC DEPTH GAUGE LEAST DEPTH OF 50 FT. (ENTERED MSD 4/91)
More: u13 - AWOIS 7932 ...
H10224/86-88 -- OPR-C121-WH; SIDE-SCAN SONAR CONTACT. DIVERS DESCRIBE A WRECK SITE 250' X 50' CONTAINING THE REMAINS OF WHAT APPEARED TO BE A WOODEN VESSEL (DECK MACHINERY, 3-FOOT DIA. METAL CYLINDER, LARGE TIMBERS REINFORCED WITH METAL PLATES). LD (PNEUMO) OF 53 FEET. (ENT 5/30/96, SJV)
More: u14 - AWOIS 9768 ...
