Van
We found this one in mid-July of 2005, and dove it for the first
time on July 31. It appeared very large on the depth finder, with a
profile of approximately 50 ft., leading us to believe it was possibly a
small wreck or other obstruction with some large dragger nets suspended
above. However, when we
finally hooked it and went down to investigate, we found a very large ship in
a similar position to the Eagle Boat, with the stern buried solidly in the
mud, and the bow pointed upwards at perhaps a 30 - 40 degree angle.
The engine room area emerges from the mud at 250 FSW, and the tip of the bow
is right at 200 FSW. This is obviously a scuttled
ship, stripped and empty with holes blown in the sides near the waterline
to facilitate sinking.
It is almost certainly a cargo ship, with a steel hull,
wooden deck, and what appears to be a single long deckhouse along the center
of the wreck. A "greenhouse" style ventilation roof for the engine
room is the first identifiable feature that emerges from the mud.
Going forward, the deckhouse begins with immediate access to the engine
room, housing a single steam engine surrounded by a catwalk similar to the
one found in the Pug wreck. The boiler is immediately forward of the
engine and appears to pass through a bulkhead in the ship. Like the
Eagle Boat, entering the engine room actually takes you below the mud, and
there seems to be plenty of open space.
a view into the engine room -
photo by Joe Augusto
The deckhouse appears to be a single structure, but is
severely damaged in one spot. All
evidence of a second level has been wiped away (if there was one).
Lifeboat davits are intact on both sides of the deckhouse. Portholes have been removed for the most part, and those that remain have
what appear to be steel frames. All hatches are open and allow easy
access to most or all of the ship. Immediately forward of the deckhouse
is a single large winch with dual drums, and there are two open cargo hatches
between the winch and bow. Near the bow, two "snorkel" hatches give access below
- a raised area in the deck provides a platform at the tip of the bow. Since
most of the interesting features of the wreck are near the mud, this is a
very deep dive. Monofilament covers the wreck and requires constant
vigilance. A single large dragger net is draped over the deck
immediately forward of the winch, but otherwise the wreck is net free.
Paul's
grapple firmly in place on the wreck
Initial research shows two cargo ships to have been
sunk in the general area, the Van and the Massasoit. The Van is
definitely the more likely of these as the Massasoit was a wooden ship. It may be some time before
a positive ID is made, but in the meantime, the Van information we have is:
Built: 1887
Length: 190
Beam: 26
710 GT
Built by (for) Miami Steamship Company in DE
Crew: 15
256 HP
Originally named "Manteo"
The photo used above of an SS Manteo (found on the Internet)
shows a ship of a somewhat similar design, and from the correct period, but
several features do not match up. The cargo doors shown in the forward hull in the photo
definitely are not part of this wreck. However, the doors in the
center portion of the wreck opening into the engine room are. And the
portholes on the wreck are all round, not like the square openings shown in
the drawing. But how accurate was the artist in representing the ship?
The general design in the drawing appears
similar enough that I thought I would include it as a representation to
date. The research continues...
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