Category: California

Johanna Smith off Long Beach, CA

Johanna Smith

The Johanna Smith (257 ft x 50 ft) was a wooden hulled lumber schooner build in North Bend Oregon in 1917. Built during the first world war, shortages prohibited the installation of engines in...

Sealab II

Sealab II Site

Today marks the 50th anniversary of the installation of Sealab II off the coast of La Jolla, CA. On August 26, 1965, the Sealab II underwater habitat was lowered to the sealfloor adjacent to...

Gambling barge Monfalcone. Photo from the San Francisco Maritime National Historic Park.

Monfalcone

Be sure to read to the end. This ship has a colorful history and a special connection to Jimmy Buffett and the Coral Reefer Band. The 282 foot five-masted barkentine Monfalcone was built in...

Olympic II. Photo courtesy of Steve Lawson.

Olympic II

The Olympic II was an iron hulled sailing ship built in Belfast, Ireland in 1877. Originally named the Star of France, she sailed in the Australian wool trade for many years before eventually being...

HMCS YUKON. Photo by Walter E. Frost

HMCS Yukon

The Yukon is the latest contribution to San Diego’s Wreck Alley. At 366′ feet in length, it is one of California’s largest wrecks accessible by divers. As the newest wreck, it is also the...

USS BURNS 1946. Photo Courtesy of Larry Cote.

USS Burns (DD-588)

USS Burns (DD-588) was a Fletcher-class destroyer (376 ft x 39 ft) built for service in WWII. USS Burns was launched on 8 August 1942 by Charelston Navy Yard and commissioned on 3 April...

1966 Piper Cherokee Six

Piper Cherokee Six N3516W

On November 3, 2001, at 1645 Pacific standard time, a Piper PA-32-260, N3516W, experienced a loss of engine power during departure climb and ditched into the Pacific Ocean about 5 miles north of Catalina...

VALIANT

Valiant

The Valiant was a palacial yacht (162′ x 26′) built in 1926 by Newport News Shipbuilding in Virginia. Christened the Aras by her original owner, she was soon renamed the Valiant when she was...

Star of Scotland

Star of Scotland

The STAR OF SCOTLAND was originally the Q-Ship HMS MISTLETOE built in 1918 for the British Admiralty. She displaced 1250 tons and had a length of 262 ft. HMS MISTLETOE acted as a submarine...

USS PALAWAN

USS Palawan (ARG-10)

USS PALAWAN (ARG-10) was a Luzon class internal combustion engine repair ship that saw service in the United States Navy during the final days of World War II, and in the post-war period. It...