Leisure divers and more professional shipwreck hunters continue to search for Chesapeake bay shipwrecks. The problem of minimal visibility has not deterred their interest. In the area stretching from the Susquehanna to Virginia Beach over two thousand wrecks have been discovered. The likelihood there are many more has been enhanced with the benefit of modern technological enhancements.
There are a number of explanations for the sinking of these vessels. Most noteworthy causes are natural causes, impaired judgment, wars, pirates and mutinies. For sailors in the eras of wooden shipbuilding, fire was most feared.
Some parts of the estuary are known for the location of perilous shoals and vulnerability to hazardous storms. The so called Middle Ground is one of these spots. It is situated at the mouth of the estuary between capes Charles and Henry. Ships would get stranded among the shifting sandbars. Over time, they would break apart under the pressure of pounding waves. Their cargo would end up under water. Willoughby Spit, at the mouth of the James River, saw the demise of many a vessel.
Wars augmented the dangers of passing through this risk laden region. Many wrecks are from the period of the Civil War, the earlier War of 1812 and the Revolutionary War. There are also wrecks from the World Wars, such as the Portland, one of nearly 1,000 wooden freighters commissioned in 1917 for battle in World War I. The ill made ships populate these waters. Nearby the Portland on a bank of Curtis Creek are three of its sister ships Dover, Ashland and Fort Scott. In Curtis Bay there are fifteen others.
Its reputation for deceptive shoals, shallow waters and bottom condition is well earned. These perilous conditions have given the waterway dangerous repute. The Shipwrecks of Delmarva, a National Geographic production compiled by a marine archaeologist has identified more than 2,400 wrecks. The beautiful publication also has historical and other details of interest to divers.
What has become a veritable junkyard of ships has many Spanish vessels that negotiated the waterway in search of precious metals. These trading ships also crossed the Mid Atlantic on way back to Europe. Seepage from sunk boats has been a boon even for land based treasure hunting, such as those beachcombing on Indian River Inlet beaches.
Modern day technical innovations, such as the side scan sonar, are locating more victims. There is much territory enclosed in the largest estuary in North America. This partly enclosed waterway with its open up passage to the sea stretches for approximately 200 miles. The James, Potomac and Susquehanna Rivers are its 3 primary tributaries. But there are 419 tributaries in total. Its drainage basin spans 64,299 square miles touching District of Columbia, Maryland, Virginia, West Virginia, New York, Delaware, and Pennsylvania.
The dive season for Chesapeake bay shipwrecks begins in May and lasts through October. Boat fees can differ in prices. A SCUBA certification is a mandatory requirement. Different states may have differing regulations and charges. There is plenty of information available on shipwreck locations. Generally, location depths can extend from sixty feet to over a hundred feet. Divers are encouraged to select wreck sites that are suited to their own skill level.
There are a number of explanations for the sinking of these vessels. Most noteworthy causes are natural causes, impaired judgment, wars, pirates and mutinies. For sailors in the eras of wooden shipbuilding, fire was most feared.
Some parts of the estuary are known for the location of perilous shoals and vulnerability to hazardous storms. The so called Middle Ground is one of these spots. It is situated at the mouth of the estuary between capes Charles and Henry. Ships would get stranded among the shifting sandbars. Over time, they would break apart under the pressure of pounding waves. Their cargo would end up under water. Willoughby Spit, at the mouth of the James River, saw the demise of many a vessel.
Wars augmented the dangers of passing through this risk laden region. Many wrecks are from the period of the Civil War, the earlier War of 1812 and the Revolutionary War. There are also wrecks from the World Wars, such as the Portland, one of nearly 1,000 wooden freighters commissioned in 1917 for battle in World War I. The ill made ships populate these waters. Nearby the Portland on a bank of Curtis Creek are three of its sister ships Dover, Ashland and Fort Scott. In Curtis Bay there are fifteen others.
Its reputation for deceptive shoals, shallow waters and bottom condition is well earned. These perilous conditions have given the waterway dangerous repute. The Shipwrecks of Delmarva, a National Geographic production compiled by a marine archaeologist has identified more than 2,400 wrecks. The beautiful publication also has historical and other details of interest to divers.
What has become a veritable junkyard of ships has many Spanish vessels that negotiated the waterway in search of precious metals. These trading ships also crossed the Mid Atlantic on way back to Europe. Seepage from sunk boats has been a boon even for land based treasure hunting, such as those beachcombing on Indian River Inlet beaches.
Modern day technical innovations, such as the side scan sonar, are locating more victims. There is much territory enclosed in the largest estuary in North America. This partly enclosed waterway with its open up passage to the sea stretches for approximately 200 miles. The James, Potomac and Susquehanna Rivers are its 3 primary tributaries. But there are 419 tributaries in total. Its drainage basin spans 64,299 square miles touching District of Columbia, Maryland, Virginia, West Virginia, New York, Delaware, and Pennsylvania.
The dive season for Chesapeake bay shipwrecks begins in May and lasts through October. Boat fees can differ in prices. A SCUBA certification is a mandatory requirement. Different states may have differing regulations and charges. There is plenty of information available on shipwreck locations. Generally, location depths can extend from sixty feet to over a hundred feet. Divers are encouraged to select wreck sites that are suited to their own skill level.
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