Warships

Warships

A number of warships are sunk in New Jersey and New York waters:

Warships


Shipwreck Great Isaac
Type:
shipwreck, tugboat, U.S. War Shipping Administration (Navy)
Name:
All the ships of this class were named for lighthouses in the U.S., except for the Great Isaac, which is in the Bahamas.
Built:
1944, General Ship, Boston MA USA
Specs:
( 185 x 37 ft ) 1117 gross tons, 27 crew
Sunk:
Wednesday April 16, 1947
collision with Norwegian freighter Bandeirante - no casualties
Depth:
90 ft


Captain Henry reef
"Captain Henry" - the bow ramp appears to have been welded up
Type:
artificial reef, LCM-6 (Landing Craft-Mechanized) used as buoy tender
Built:
1943 New Orleans LA USA
Specs:
( 56 x 14 ft ) 64 tons
Sponsor:
Bureau of Coastal Engineering, Fish America &
Cape May County Party & Charter Boat Association
Sunk:
Sunday May 6, 1990 - Cape May Artificial Reef
GPS:
38°51.200' -74°42.280'


Shipwreck Catamount
Type:
shipwreck, private yacht, converted to U.S. Navy patrol boat
Name:
Catamount is another name for a mountain lion, felis concolor.
Built:
1929, Luders Marine, Stamford CT USA
Specs:
( 85 x 15 ft ) 67 gross tons, 11 crew
Sunk:
Saturday March 27, 1943
engine explosion - 6 casualties
Depth:
125 ft

airshipwreck ZPG-3W
Type:
shipwreck, blimp, U.S. Navy
Built:
1958, Akron OH USA
Specs:
( 403 x 85 ft ) 40 tons, 21 crew
Sunk:
Wednesday July 6, 1960
unknown cause - 18 casualties
Depth:
60 ft

Finding a Shipwreck

by Capt. Steve Nagiewicz

SS Mohawk aground

Of course, finding a shipwreck is a necessary prerequisite for finding artifacts. Many wreck locations are well known. Others are secrets, and many wrecks have yet to be discovered. While you can recover artifacts from almost any shipwreck, it is these "virgin" wrecks that are often the best producers of prize items like portholes, deadeyes, and china. But how do you find a wreck like this? Research is the most productive method. This will require visiting local libraries, historical societies, nautical museums, and many other institutions. It means lots of reading and digging for information. Be prepared to spend some time searching for clues that aren't willing to be found.