Exploring Shipwrecks that Lie Hidden Off the South Shore

There are thousands of shipwrecks off the Long Island Coast and there is a story behind each one  of them.

Local scuba divers Christopher Weaver and Michael Salvarezza recently explored shipwrecks of Long Island with residents at a Sayville Library program. From wartime ships to accidents and ships run aground, the presentation touched on some of the more interesting stories that took place in local waters.

The pair started a company called Eco-Photo Explorers, launched in 1994, to promote interest in protecting the environment through knowledge and awareness as well as underwater photography.

 "We started to see some changes happening in the underwater environment and we wanted to help," Salvarezza said.

While offering just a sampling of the shipwrecks, Salvarezza touched on stories from the Revolutionary War to the modern day.

"One of the most dramatic reasons for a ship to sink is wartime activity," he said.

The story of the HMS Culloden is one example. The HMS Culloden was a 74 gun, third rate ship of the line of the Royal Navy, launched in 1776. It sank in January of 1781 and now sits underwater in what is known as Culloden Point, a few hundred yards offshore of Montauk. A majority of the ship has been recovered, Salvarezza said.

The USS Ohio was built in 1820 and saw action in both the Mexican and American wars. In 1884, it was sold to a group of Long Islanders for scrap and intentionally sunk close to Greenport. The masthead from the USS Ohio, a Hercules figure, was removed before they sank the ship and still sits on Main Street's town square in Stony Brook.

The USS San Diego, launched in 1904, was part of Teddy Roosevelt's Great White Fleet. It saw action in World War I but after a massive explosion it sank in 28 minutes 13 miles south of the Fire Island Lighthouse. It was believed the explosion was caused by a mine left by a German warship. The ship now sits upside down and is a very popular site for scuba divers, marine life and artifacts.

There's also the story of the U-853, a German U-boat that attacked a U.S. boat 24 hours after a return-to-port-call was issued. It is settled seven miles east of Block Island. There's also the Arundo, which sank in 1942 after being struck by a torpedo. It sits about 25 miles south of Rockaway Inlet and is a favorite wreck for fishermen.

The Tanker Coimbra was sunk on January 15, 1942 by a torpedo from a German submarine. It was carrying 81,000 barrels of oil. It's estimated that 28,000 barrels of oil are still within the wreck.

"Is this a ticking time bomb?" Salvarezza asked. "The Coast Guard has determined that is more dangerous to try to extract the oil than to let it slowly leak out. If you dive down there, you will notice the oil sheen hovering above the wreck."

Moving away from wartime to accidental wrecks, there's the story of the Stolt D'Agali, which is a favorite for divers located off Rockaway. The Steamer Lillian was hauling sugar into New York on February 26, 1939 when it encountered a dense fog. It collided with the German steamship Wiegand and now is underwater off of Rockaway.

There's the story of the tugboat, the Lizzie D. It was not only a tugboat but a prohibition rum runner, which sank on October 19. 1922. It was discovered in Long Beach in 1977 by divers and many crates of 100 proof Kentucky bourbon and Canadian whiskey were recovered. Occasionally, divers can still find intact bottles.

The Hylton Castle was a British freight steamer that sank on January 11, 1886. There's also the Dutch freighter Pinta, which sank in a mysterious accident, on a clear day with modern equipment on May 8, 1963.

The story behind the RMS Republic is also an intriguing one. On January 23, 1909, the White Star Liner Republic was sailing south of Nantucket. The Coast Guard received the first wireless distress call from the Republic on the Marconi Wireless Radio. The ship sunk after 39 hours and was rumored to be carrying $3 million in gold eagle coins. The wreck was discovered in 1981 but the gold was never found.

The Steamer Maine sunk on February 4, 1920 after it ran into thick ice on the Long Island Sound. The ice caused the boat to stop and lose power and it was eventually burned and sank for fear she would catch fire and burn down the nearby lighthouse.

The Steamer General Slocum sank on June 15, 1904 after a fire broke out on board and killed 1,021 passengers, most of whom were children. It is still considered one of the worst maritime disasters in New York's history.

There's also hundreds of ships that have run aground, such as the Gluckauf, a German oil tanker that sunk on March 25, 1893 after running into a thick fog by Fire Island Beach. It sits just opposite of Sayville. There's the Roda, which sits by Tobay Beach, sunk after it encountered a violent storm in 1908.

"Uncovering the mystery and identity of a shipwreck is sometimes the most exciting part for divers," Salvarezza said.

Such was the case with the U-869, a German U-boat discovered on Long Island in 1991 that was believed to have sunk off the coast of Gibraltar during WWII. It is now believed to have been the victim of its own torpedo, which may have circled around and struck the ship.

"Diving shipwrecks can be a fascinating journey," Salvarezza added. "It gives you an appreciation of the marine life and while it may sound dangerous, with the right experience and equipment, it's like visiting a time capsule from a period long ago."