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Wilmington, NC is located in southeastern North Carolina. There are several wrecks in the area. Wilmington was a critical port during the civil war (1861-1865). Confederate Blockade Runners (side-paddlewheel steam vessels) ran past the union armada blockading the southern coast during the war. They carried out trade from the southern states to Europe. Generally, upon departure from the south, they carried cotton, tobacco, some textiles, and other agricultural goods. When the blockade runners returned to the Cape Fear River area, they were usually carrying arms, boots, clothing, ammunition, and other war essentials for the south. Several blockade runners have been either sunk or run aground in this region.
USS PETERHOFF
***USS Peterhoff 45FSW The picture of the ship above is not the USS Peterhoff. The Peterhoff was not a side paddle wheeler, but was driven by screw. This picture is representative of similar vessels from this era. As you can see by it's name, the Peterhoff was flagged a US vessel when it sank. The ship was originally built for Czar Nicholas I of Russia in 1852. She somehow fell into Brittish hands, and during the American Civil War (1861-1865), she was allegedly used as a blockade runner. During the Civil War, the Northern tyrants blockaded the southern shipping routes in an effort to sever confederate supply lines from Europe. There was quite a bit of controversy over the Peterhoff. It was alegedly being operated by the British to run war goods to the confederates. In 1863, a US Warship chased and captured the then British Merchant Ship Peterhoff near St. Thomas in the Danish West Indies (now the US Virgin Islands). The Peterhoff was then escorted to Key West, FL. A trial for her seizure then ensued. The trial was successful, and the U.S. seized the ship from Great Brittain. Needless to say, this sparked an international controversy, and almost drew England into the war between the states. Bickering between Brittish Parliament and the United States over the Peterhoff incident lasted well beyond our Civil War. After seizing the Peterhoff , the US converted her with gun and cannon, and sent her to blockade duty in the south (from blockade runner to blockade enforcer). On March 6, 1864 while under the command of Thomas Pickering and stationed off of New Inlet on blockade assignment, the Peterhoff collided with the USS Monticello. This collision severely disabled the Peterhoff, and it was partially sunk. However, as far as I can tell, the USS Mount Vernon actually sunk the Peterhoff (finished it off) to keep it out of the confederate's hands.
The Peterhoff lies in 35-40 ft. of water about a 1.5 miles east of Ft. Fisher. Visibility is usually poor on the site, but if you want to see cannon on a ship, she still has some. One of her cannon was recovered, and is on display at the Ft. Fisher Maritime Museum out front. Spearfisherman should keep a sharp eye on the sand around the wreck........hint, hint.
The Carolina Coast has historically been difficult for mariners to navigate even during times of peace. The Gulf Stream and Labrador Currents collide off of Diamond Shoals, Frying Pan Shoals extends way out into the shipping lanes, and we are prone to powerful Noreaster storms and Hurricanes. These storms have put down several ships in this area. I have included here three of my favorite foundered wrecks, the City of Houston, Normannia, and the Dredge Wreck "Playa".
City of Houston,
***City of Houston 90FSW In October of 1878, a late season cyclonic storm was the beginning of the end for the Passenger Liner City of Houston. The Houston was sailing from NY to Galveston with a load of passengers and cargo bound for Galveston, and the new western frontier. The cargo was composed of Children’s Christmas presents (porcelain dolls), Singer Sewing Machines, China, Rugs, Textiles, and Winchester Repeating Rifle Bullets. In addition to her cargo, she was hauling 33 passengers, under the command of Captain Stevens. Early on October 22, 1878 Capt. Stevens ran head long into worsening weather and sea conditions off of Cape Hatteras, NC. By the time he reached the area off of Wilmington, NC near Cape Fear at Frying Pan Shoals, the Houston had developed fatal leaks. The boilers were flooded, and rescue signals sent up. Another steamer, the Margaret picked up the Houston’s distress signals, and came to her aid. All passengers and crew were transferred to the Margaret, and then Capt. Stevens. The Houston foundered in 90 feet of water on the southern side of Frying Pan Shoals. The City of Houston is a dive that is breathtaking. The density of tropical fish on this wreck is unsurpassed by any other NC Wreck. The towering engine is a sad reminder of what transpired back in 1878. The wreck site is fairly easy to navigate, and makes perfectly logical sense once one has been on her a few times. Local diver, Wayne Strickland, of Southport, NC discovered the wreck in the 70's. Wayne also started the Southport Maritime Museum. The maritime museum has numerous artifacts taken from the City of Houston wreck. If your dive gets blown out, a ferry ride to Southport, and spending the day there can be entertaining. Southport is a small coastal fishing town, and the views of the Cape Fear River spilling into the ocean flanked by "Old Baldy" and Oak Island Lighthouse are really nice. Wayne Strickland's charter boat “ScubaSouth” still runs to the wreck today. Other charter operations that run the wreck are Cape Fear Divers(Carolina Beach), Dolphin Divers(Myrtle Beach), Aquatic Safaris(Wilmington), and occasionally Olympus Divers(Morehead City) will make the long trip down to the shoals. This is a dive that if you have the opportunity to make, you should do it. A NCDiver’s logbook would be incomplete without an entry containing a dive to the Houston.
(Video by Tom Tilmon)
NORMANNIA
***Normannia 120FSW The Normannia was built in 1897. She sank on January 17, 1924, when she foundered in stormy seas. Mechanical failures of the pumps and engines doomed the Normannia. She now rests about 35nm offshore in 120 fsw. The Normannia was carrying a load of Mohogany when she went down. The life is prolific, lots of tropicals. The wreck has deteriorated massively. The stern remains relatively intact. The ship rests keel to the bottom listing to port. The screw and rudder are visible at the far stern. The bow and some machinery are visible forward. The cargo holds of the freighter rest amidships, and are divided by bulkheads, mostly silted in. It is a long...trip out to her, and unless you are diving outside of recreational limits, not too much bottom time available. However, the Normannia is a dive most folks would not regret making. The tropical fish are very dense, as are all the other fish out on the Normannia. I have some shots of her on video that show so many different species of fish in such a small area, it is amazing to see. The Normannia is one of the top dives here in NC.
Crowder in technical gear over the boilers on the Normannia
(Photo by: Tom Tilmon)
Normannia Stern looking from behind the ship. Notice the list, and the prop/rudder/fantail.
(Photo by: Tom Tilmon)
(Video by Tom Tilmon)
***Old Brick Dredge Playa 70FSW The dredge wreck PLAYA used to be a secret spot somewhere nearby. We used to get lots of the flat fishies here. I still won't tell you where it's at, and I hope you never find it!!!!!!!! The dredge is not a very big wreck anyway, it sank in a storm in the 1920s. It was carrying a load of fire bricks. The bricks are pretty much all that is left of the wreck, and the dredge pumps are still there, and the large dredge cutting head. I have one of the bricks here on my desk as a paperweight. The "brick dredge" was basically a mystery, and her story only myth until lately, when local Wilmington diver Pat Carroll helped put a name to her, and a story. There is more information about the Playa on Pat's Page, which you can visit by clicking--->Wilmingtondiving.com
(Video by Tom Tilmon)
The Cape Fear Region of the Atlantic Ocean was also a major hunting ground for the German U-Boats of WWII. A unique twist of the coastline, caused by the Cape Fear River, is a shoaling of the bottom. The shoals formed at the mouth of the Cape Fear are called Frying Pan Shoals (because they are shaped like a frying pan). The shoals come very shallow, as little as 3-5 feet in places. This area is a hazard to shipping routes North--South. Ships have to round the shoals, but to minimize travel distance, they tend to hug the shoals. German U-Boats were aware of this, and waited on the northern side of the shoals for their prey to arrive. The majority of ships sailing this route were oil-tankers. Some great ships to dive on that fell victim to German U-Boats are here off the Cape Fear Coast. Additionally the Cassimir is somewhat of a U-Boat victim, in that her collision with the SS Lara was a direct result of her running without lights to avoid U-Boats.
JOHN D. GILL
***John D.Gill 95FSW The Gill was a massive oil-tanker, in fact, she was the largest ship sunk by German Submarines off of the Carolina coast. Built in 1941, she was 528 feet long, and 70 feet wide. She was northbound for Philadelphia, PA with a load of fuel oil from Texas on March 12, 1942 (the Gill's second voyage ever). As she rounded Frying Pan Shoals, the U-158 slammed a torpedo into her amidships on the starboard side. Oil spilled out of the ship and water spilled in. One of the crew members, in his attempt to escape the sinking hulk, threw a life ring (with a self-igniting carbide light) overboard, and this apparently ignited the escaping fuel oil. The ocean was then ablaze with the fuel oil, and the Gill was sinking. 23 men died in the subsequent blaze and sinking. The fire was reportedly visible from Wrightsville Beach (approx. 25 miles away). The fire also spelled the end for the self-igniting carbide lights. Great heroism was found on the sea that night, and even drew the attention of President Franklin D. Roosevelt, who awarded one of the crew members from the John D. Gill with a merchant marine award. The fact that the German subs were ripping us to pieces in waters so close to land was a national embarrassment. We were ill prepared in 1942 to deal with the U-Boat threat, and the fact that the Germans sank so many ships early in 1942 has seemed to elude many history books. Divers that visit the Gill, should be honored to know and understand her history. You can feel and see the desperation and heroics that took place on her decks as you swim over her. I feel this sensation particularly on the bow section, where lifeboat davits still are deployed over the side, and the twisted, melted steel beams speak of the ferocity of the fire that engulfed her.
The Gill came to rest in approx. 90-100 ft. of water. Her superstructure is gone (blasted by the CG because of the threat to navigation). The Gill is also lovingly known by her former bouy designation WR-4. The bouy is now gone, but the nickname remains. The Gill's keel plates remain together (the ship is in one contiguous piece), however, the midships portion is pretty much completely silted in. When you are diving in the midship portion,bulkeads run just under the sand perpindicular to the keel. Both the bow and the stern are relatively intact, and if you back off from the wreck enough, you can generally picture where you are at. The first time I ever descended on the Gill (bow)1991, it looked like the empire state building laying on it's side at the bottom of the ocean, this wreck is enormous. The last couple of years 1996-1999, have been particularly tough on the Gill. Wilmington has been struck by several hurricanes(Bertha, Fran, Bonnie, Dennis, Emily, and Floyd). Each time I go back to the Gill, something else is gone. In October 2002 I re-visited the bow of the John D. Gill for the first time in a long time. The bow has now completely collapsed outwards. The port anchor now lies partially buried in the sand on the port side of the bow. The starboard anchor is within the collapsed wreckage. The Windlass lies on the starboard side seafloor near the tip of the bow. There are several swimthroughs on the bow section, and there are still 2-3 places where one can penetrate the former oil holds....but you should be cautious, as the wreck is severely deteriorating. The once enormous wreck is fast becoming completely flattened. Massive deterioration has taken place in the last couple years. The sea life is still out there though! The wreck can be penetrated, especially the oil holds, however,once again, great caution should be used when penetrating the wreck in it's massively deteriorated state. The visibility is generally incredible on the Gill. Wildlife of all kinds flourish here. Sharks are not uncommon, especially Sandtigers, Nurse, and Sandbar.
John D. Gill Wreckage of Deck near forward oil tanks.
(Photo by: Mike Tilmon)
Windlass of the John D. Gill (fell off wreck near starboard bow)
(Photo by: Tom Tilmon)
John D. Gill Starboard anchor with Mike Tilmon for size reference.
(Photo by: Tom Tilmon)
Lifeboat Davit on the John D. Gill (just imagine what happened the night she sank.....in the area of this davit...)
(Photo by: Tom Tilmon)
My buddy Jeff approaching forward sections on the John D. Gill
(Photo by: Tom Tilmon)
Port Anchor of the John D. Gill (partially buried in sand and wreckage on port side of bow....not that great of a photo)
(Photo by: Tom Tilmon)
(Video by Tom Tilmon)
ESSO NASHVILLE
***Esso Nashville 120FSW The Esso Nashville was a tanker that had also just rounded Frying Pan Shoals, when she was torpedoed by U-124 on March 21, 1942. The weird part about the Nashville, is that the bow filled up with water, broke off, and sank. This section of the bow landed upsidedown on the bottom. The keel is actually pointing up towards the surface. The stern of the Nashvillestayed afloat, and was towed into Maryland. The Bethlehem Steel Co. then refitted a new bow to the Nashville, and she sailed again about a year after the attack. The U-124 also sank the Papoose, WE Hutton, and EM Clark off of Frying Pan Shoals in a week. She then hit the Nashville. Another ship, Suloide, crashed into the sunken WE Hutton and sank. (There is currently some controversy regarding the identities of the wrecks now known as WE Hutton and Papoose) There is an archeological group in Moorehead City who have pretty decent evidence that the wreck known as the Papoose is actually the WE Hutton, and the wreck formerly known as the WE Hutton, is actually the Papoose. At any rate U-124 can be given grim credit forlanding 5 shipwrecks on the bottom of the Atlantic north of Frying Pan Shoals. Anyway, there are bugs present on the Nashville. If you don't know what bugs are, don't go there, the bugs will get you!!!!! This wreck lies in about 120 feet. There is not much to see on this one, I just go there for the bugs.
Picture of my divebuddy going into the gaping hole in the bow of the Nashville.
(Photo by: Tom Tilmon)
CASSIMIR
***Cassimir 120FSW The Cassimir was a 390 Foot long tanker. She was built in 1920 in PA. She sunk on February 26, 1942 after colliding with the SS Lara. Seven merchant seaman lost their lives in the collision.
The Cassimir is enormous, smaller than the Gill, but very much in decent shape. The bow broke and actually angles up toward the surface (as shown in the picture below). The windlass and anchors are still on her and in very good shape. The anchors are still cinched up tight in the hawse pipes. I have been on the whole wreck several times now, and is is a fairly spectacular dive. There were lots of tropical fish. No sharks spotted on any of my dives to Cassimir:( I did however on ascent in 2001 see two spotted eagle rays!!!!
Bow of Cassimir with anchors and 2 divers.
(Picture by Tom Tilmon)
Windlass on Cassimir with anchor chain.
(Picture by Tom Tilmon)
Spotted Eagle Rays seen on ascent from the Cassimir 5/01
(Picture by Tom Tilmon)
(Video by Tom Tilmon)
There are several other wrecks from WWII that we occasionally dive, however, those are the biggies. After WWII, North Carolina began an Artificial Reef Program. The state has sunk several ships locally accessible to Wilmingtonians. The state has also sunk a lot of garbage...i.e. boxcars, tires, barges, and anything else of substantial mass. NC has done this in hopes of growing artificial reefs and creating habitat for fish. There is quite a bit of controversy over this policy from environmentalists, and I am not quite sure how it effects the ecosystem. However, these sites do create some great diving.
HYDE
(Picture courtesy of Cedric Robinson, whose father served aboard the Hyde)
***Hyde 75FSW One of the prettiest wrecks in the area, as far as I am concerned is an artificial reef. A dredge ship called the Hyde was sunk in the 1980's about 15 miles off the coast of Wrightsville Beach. The Hyde was a Vietnam veteran and was stationed in the Gulf of Tonkin during the war for dredging operations. The Hyde was also the only dredge known to have circumnavigated the Earth. In 1986 though, her sea-going career ended at the bottom of the atlantic ocean. The Hyde still has purpose though, and today the Hyde is upright and for the most part relatively intact. Visibility is usually 60+ feet, but occasionally can fall to 10-15. I have never experienced any real harsh currents here. The wreck is penetrable, and most passages are short with several outs. There is not a lot of encrustation on her, however, she has attracted a myriad of fish. The Hyde is an ichthyologists dream!!!! Sharks, rays, amberjack, puffers, tropicals, trumpetfish, eels, king and spanish mackerel, grouper, and a host of others are all present here en masse!!!!! Some of my favorite dives have been here. We don't spearfish here anymore, because of the resident sharkies, there are hundreds now. Last summer (2004) I was in a school of Sand Tiger Sharks I have also seen Sandbar Sharks and Nurse Sharks here. It would not be unusual to see 3 species of sharks here on one dive! This place rules. You can stand up on the deck, lean over the deck rail, and watch the sharkies circumnavigate the wreck as you are surrounded by schools of massive amberjack chasing baitballs. Barracuda circle overhead, as the tropicals dive in and out of crevices all over the place. The wildlife here is the draw!
Hyde Windlass
(Photo by: Tom Tilmon)
One of many Sand Tigers seen on the Hyde in 2005.
(Photo by Tom Tilmon)
Myself inside the shipwreck Hyde.
(Photo by DH)
Amberjack commonly seen on the Hyde are huge!!! This one was a member of a school of thousands of Amberjack feeding off of a baitball. I have about 20 minutes of this on film, and it was just about the coolest deco hang I have ever made. The jacks, barracuda, and baitfish were very interesting/exciting to watch.
(Photo by Tom Tilmon)
Also, check out my Sandtiger Page by clicking the link below:
(Video by Tom Tilmon)
Markham
***Markham 75FSW The Markham was sunk in the 90s right near the Hyde as part of NC's Artificial Reef Program. Something went amuck in the operation, and the Markham came down partially inverted lying on her port side. The prop is always a good photo op. Other than a few resident Sand Tigers, not much else is here on the wreck, although, the decks are good for wreck penetration training. Note: Before you venture inside a wreck, you need tons of experience, the proper training and the proper equipment. Never go into a shipwreck until you have all of the above!
Starboard prop, strut, and rudder of the Markham
(Photo by Tom Tilmon)
Sand Tiger Shark over the Markham
(Photo by Tom Tilmon)
Atlantic Spadefish over the Markham
(Photo by Tom Tilmon)
***Stone 65 fsw The Stone was a tug, that from it's fairly new appearance was sunk recently by the artificial reef program. There is not much encrustation present on the wreck, and it is still very much intact(including the wheel house, which now lies on the port side of the wreck). Plenty of Barracuda, grunts, some flounder, tropicals, and bait fish. Standard NC wreck. The visibility varies with tides, swell, and currents. I have seen 60 foot vis here, and also no vis here. Both wrecks lie in about 63 feet of water.
***Pocohontas65fsw ThePocohontaswas also a tug, apparently sunk quite earlier that the Stone. Not much left, but the hull of the ship. All deck and structures have collapsed into the shell of the sunken tug. Lots of fish out there though!!!!
Atlantic Spadefish on the SS Stone(notice large school of ringtails in background)
Common scene out on the Pocohontas, Dredge, and Stone.
(Photo by: Tom Tilmon)
ALEXANDER RAMSEY
***Alexander Ramsey 55FSW The Liberty Ship Alexander Ramsey and the tugboat Sicony lie close together about 3 miles off of Wrightsville Beach. We try not to dive here, but sometimes the sea conditions will only let you get this far out. Lots of Spanish Mackerel, Barracuda, and some tropicals. The vis usually sucks, 5-15 feet, but I once saw crystal clear 50 foot vis here.......once. Night dives on the Sicony are cool, but a little eery. Some say Tiger Sharks, not Sand Tigers, but Tiger Sharks (porkers) visit these wrecks on occasion. I ain't too fond of seeing Tigers, Whites, or Makos unless I'm in a cage.
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Welcome to my shipwreck page. Below, if you scroll down you will find general historical and informational data on the most popular shipwrecks in the Cape Fear Area. The Cape Fear Region includes the area from Topsail Island south to Southport. This is the Onslow Bay area, and is known as the Graveyard of the Atlantic. The local area includes: Topsail Beach, Figure Eight Island, Wrightsville Beach, Masonboro Island, Carolina Beach, Southport, and Oak Island. There are shipwrecks here ranging from 18th century sailing ships, civil war blockade runners, a passenger steamer, and merchant ships. There are victims of warfare, victims of the treacherous conditions, ships that were purposely run aground, and now some ships sunk on purpose as artificial reefs. Some of the ships you can dive from shore, others you have to take a boat to. See my charter page for more information about the local diving.
The diving in NC is spectacular! If you enjoy shipwreck diving and pelagic life, you definitely need to get yourself here and dive! I get a lot of questions about diving in NC. The most frequent ones are: What is the vis like? What are the temps like? When is the best time to come down? What kind of life is there to see? The vis in NC, offshore can be in excess of 100 ft. or as bad as 5-10 feet. This is primarily dependent upon the weather/sea conditions prior to your trip. Better vis is the norm here during the season, and when on offshore trips, you can usually count on 40-80 ft of vis on average, but you could be surprised with an epic day....and then I know you will be back! The water temps here in the summer are in the mid to upper 70s and get into the 80s. A 3mm jumpsuit is the thermal protection most locals tend to trust for the main season. The best time of year to dive in Wilmington is from July-October, however, the season usually begins in late April or early May and runs through November or December. You can dive in Wilmington year round, but better thermal protection would be required...like farmer john 2 pc suits or dry suits. The life you will see here is similar to what exists in the Carribean. We have tropical fish, spiny lobster, barracuda, grunts, flounders, grouper, hogfish, nurse sharks, stingrays, coral, sponges, etc. additionally, we also have larger pelagics that are seen in the north Atlantic, like Sandbar and Sandtiger sharks.
Hopefully, you can find the information that you need to begin your North Carolina adventure on my page. If there is something missing, email me at fpsndiver@aol.com
Thanks for Visiting! fpsndiver
