The Half Moon Underwater Archaeological Preserve is the watery grave for a German 366-ton steel schooner-yacht with two masts. Japanese B5N2 Kate torpedo bombers sank the USS Utah during the Pearl Harbor attack on Dec. 7, 1941. Jeremy DEntremontPortsmouth, New HampshireVisit Jeremy's WEB SITEVisit Jeremy's Lighthouse Section on SeacoastNH.com, (c) 2010 Published by Commonwealth Editions, an imprint of Applewood Books, Carlisle, MA. On August 10, 1897 this schooner was under full sail despite the near zero visibility. Although attempts were made to save the ship, they were all futile. No maritime tales of scallywags or sea monsters here. our New England Already registered? Cannons from the HMS Albany were reportedly still visible at low tide among the ledges until a few decades ago, when some local fishermen allegedly retrieved them. Shipwreck But a New York Express report claimed the elephant survived by swimming to a nearby island, where he went into a barn-yard, and after frightening the cattle there out of their wits, was taken care of by the proprietor of the farm until a circus hand came to take care of him.. Only parts of the bow remain above water today. Not much remains because the rocky bottom meant there was no sediment for wreckage to settle into. But, this wasnt always the case. To see our price, add these items to your cart. Here are some of their dramatic, courageous and intriguing tales. The story has been turned into at least two childrens books in which the animals survive and go on to help (or entertain) local islanders. The wreck site has been a tourist attraction since the day it ran aground in 1906 after hitting windy weather coupled with strong currents. I should mention that the 1898 wreck of the steamer Portlandpossibly New Englands most famous shipwreckisnt included because its final voyage began in Maine but ended in Massachusetts waters. In subsequent years, the Albany seized ships throughout the midcoast and launched raiding parties before the ship by then relegated to a prisoner transport ran aground and sank on the ledges near Vinalhaven in 1782. The recent discovery this summer of a Navy patrol boat sunk by a German submarine off Cape Elizabeth drew international attention and offered a reminder about how Maines coastline was an active front during World War II. 12:14 AM EDT, Fri April 3, 2020. The ship was a total loss, but the crew survived.. However, Germania was seized by England during World War I, and it was later sold and renamed the Half Moon. And if they dont find it, its not there, said Desjardin, who now works for the Senate Republican caucus in the Maine Legislature but continues to work on the Angel Gabriel in consultation with Maine Historic Preservation Commission. Photo courtesy: Brick Store Museum Collection, Kennebunk, Maine. It still sits at Roderick Bay, where tourists photograph the tropical vegetation growing on its deck. Try again. Seventy-five years ago visible hulks like Wiscasset's Hesper and Luther Little were a common sight. The USS Eagle PE-56 was among the last U.S. Navy ships to be sunk by a German U-boat when it was torpedoed about five miles off Cape Elizabeth in April 1945. We found just about a thousand sites, Riess said of researchers and state historians attempts to document as many shipwreck sites as possible. Riess eventually walked away from the search around the time he wrote his book. For questions, comments and inquiries please email: mstarin@onlyinyourstate.com. At low tide, visitors can still see the bottom timbers of what was once a regal, 209-foot boat hailing from an era when Maine-built schooners plied the worlds oceans. Please visit these SeacoastNH.com ad partners. Please wait for the page to reload. //