List of shipwrecks of California facts for kids
This is a list of shipwrecks found in the waters off California. These sunken ships tell stories of history, adventure, and sometimes, disaster. Many of these wrecks are now popular spots for divers or important parts of the ocean's ecosystem as artificial reefs.
Contents
- Shipwrecks in Del Norte County
- Shipwrecks in Los Angeles County
- Shipwrecks in Marin County
- Shipwrecks in Mendocino County
- Shipwrecks in Orange County
- Shipwrecks in San Diego County
- Shipwrecks in San Francisco County
- Shipwrecks in San Luis Obispo County
- Shipwrecks in San Mateo County
- Shipwrecks in Santa Barbara County
- Shipwrecks in Santa Cruz County
- Shipwrecks in Sonoma County
- Shipwrecks in Ventura County
Shipwrecks in Del Norte County
Here are some notable shipwrecks found near Del Norte County:
- Brother Jonathan
- Sunk: July 30, 1865
- Notes: This paddle steamer hit the ground near Crescent City.
- Emidio
- Sunk: December 20, 1941
- Notes: This tanker was sunk by a Japanese submarine, I-17, off Crescent City during World War II.
- Location: 41°45′1.96″N 124°11′47.95″W / 41.7505444°N 124.1966528°W
Shipwrecks in Los Angeles County
Los Angeles County has many shipwrecks, some from accidents and others sunk on purpose for movies or as targets.
- Ada Hancock
- Sunk: April 27, 1863
- Notes: This steam-powered tender had a boiler explosion in Los Angeles Harbor. Sadly, 26 of its 53 passengers died.
- Ace I
- Sunk: April 29, 1948
- Notes: This barge sank in a storm and was later sunk on purpose because it was a danger to other ships near San Pedro, Los Angeles.
- Avalon
- Sunk: September 16, 1964
- Notes: This passenger ship sank while being pulled by another boat off Palos Verdes.
- Location: 33°43′34″N 118°21′14″W / 33.726°N 118.354°W
- USS Burrfish
- Sunk: November 19, 1969
- Notes: This Balao-class submarine was sunk as a target for military practice off San Clemente Island.
- Charles F. Crocker
- Sunk: Around 1929
- Notes: This barquentine was run aground and had its masts removed for a movie near Santa Catalina Island. The wreck was later burned and moved further inland by a large wave.
- Dauntless
- Sunk: October 3, 1928
- Notes: This schooner was blown up for the movie The Rescue off Catalina Harbor, Santa Catalina Island.
- Diosa del Mar
- Sunk: July 30, 1990
- Notes: This wooden schooner ran aground on Ship Rock at Santa Catalina Island.
- Location: 33°27′46″N 118°29′31″W / 33.462770°N 118.491925°W
- Dominator
- Sunk: March 13, 1961
- Notes: This cargo ship ran aground on Rocky Point, Palos Verdes.
- Location: 33°46′26″N 118°25′42″W / 33.77389°N 118.42833°W
- F.S. Loop
- Sunk: 1947
- Notes: This barge sank near Angel's Gate and was blown up because it was a danger to other ships.
- Georgia
- Sunk: February 22, 1966
- Notes: This barge was sunk on purpose off Redondo Beach.
- Georgia Straits
- Sunk: Unknown
- Notes: This tug boat sank while being pulled by another boat off Los Angeles.
- USS Gregory
- Sunk: March 4, 1971
- Notes: This Fletcher-class destroyer was bombed as a target off San Clemente Island.
- Johanna Smith
- Sunk: July 22, 1932
- Notes: This schooner caught fire and sank off Long Beach.
- USS John C. Butler
- Sunk: 1971
- Notes: This John C. Butler-class destroyer escort was sunk as a target off San Clemente.
- USS Koka
- Sunk: December 7, 1937
- Notes: This Bagaduce-class fleet tug ran aground off San Clemente Island.
- Margaret C.
- Sunk: Around 1926
- Notes: This schooner was blown up for a movie in Catalina Harbor, Santa Catalina Island.
- Monfalcone
- Sunk: August 31, 1930
- Notes: This gambling ship caught fire and sank off Long Beach.
- USS Moody
- Sunk: February 21, 1933
- Notes: This Clemson-class destroyer was blown up in San Pedro Bay for the MGM movie Hell Below.
- USS Moray
- Sunk: June 18, 1970
- Notes: This Balao-class submarine was sunk as a target off San Clemente.
- Location: 33°25′30″N 118°21′14″W / 33.425°N 118.354°W
- USS Naifeh
- Sunk: July 11, 1966
- Notes: This John C. Butler-class destroyer escort was sunk as a target off San Clemente Island.
- Ningpo
- Sunk: 1938
- Notes: This Chinese junk was pulled onto the beach and then burned at Santa Catalina Island.
- Olympic II
- Palmyra
- Sunk: Around 1938
- Notes: This schooner was pulled onto the beach and burned off Santa Catalina Island.
- Princess Louise
- Sunk: June 20, 1990
- Notes: This cruise ship, which was later turned into a floating restaurant, sank while being towed about 16 nautical miles (30 km) southwest of Point Fermin. It was on its way to Catalina to be sunk as an artificial reef.
- Sacramento
- Sunk: December 2, 1968
- Notes: This barge and ferry boat sank off Redondo Beach.
- Sansinena
- Sunk: December 17, 1976
- Notes: This oil tanker exploded at the Port of Los Angeles.
- Location: 33°42′52″N 118°16′29″W / 33.71444°N 118.27472°W
- S.N. Castle
- Sunk: February 17, 1926
- Notes: This barquentine was burned and sunk in Catalina Harbor at Santa Catalina Island, for the movie Old Ironsides.
- SueJac
- Sunk: November 14, 1980
- Notes: This schooner ran aground on Casino Point, Santa Catalina Island.
- USS Stribling
- UB-88
- Sunk: January 3, 1921
- Notes: This German submarine was sunk as a target off San Pedro.
- USS Vammen
- Sunk: February 18, 1971
- Notes: This ship was sunk by a Condor missile strike off San Clemente Island.
- Location: Lat 118-33.0 N, Long 32-54.05 W
Shipwrecks in Marin County
Marin County has some historical shipwrecks, including one of the earliest in California.
- Labouchere
- Sunk: April 14, 1866
- Notes: This paddle steamer ran aground off Point Reyes.
- Location: 38°05′N 123°01′W / 38.083°N 123.017°W
- San Agustin
- Sunk: November 1595
- Notes: This Manila galleon, commanded by Sebastião Rodrigues Soromenho, was wrecked while anchored in Drakes Bay. It was the first known shipwreck in California's history.
- Location: 37°59′48″N 123°01′11″W / 37.99677°N 123.01984°W
- Tennessee
- Sunk: March 6, 1853
- Notes: This passenger steamship ran aground off Indian Cove, which is now called Tennessee Cove.
Shipwrecks in Mendocino County
Mendocino County's coast has seen its share of shipwrecks, often due to storms or difficult navigation.
- Il’mena
- Sunk: June 19, 1820
- Notes: This Russian-American Company maritime fur trade brig was wrecked at Point Arena. Luckily, everyone and all the cargo were saved and taken to Bodega Bay and Fort Ross.
- Frolic
- Sunk: 1850
- Notes: This trading brig was wrecked near Point Cabrillo Light in 1850.
- Josephine Woolcot
- Sunk: 1886
- Notes: This schooner was destroyed by a storm off Mendocino City. The ship broke in half and sank.
- Sea Foam
- Sunk: January 28, 1931
- Notes: This schooner was wrecked at Point Arena.
Shipwrecks in Orange County
Orange County also has a few shipwrecks, mostly barges that sank in storms.
- Charles Brown
- Sunk: April 21, 1932
- Notes: This barge ran aground off Laguna Beach.
- Elsie I
- Sunk: October 17, 1951
- Notes: This barge flipped over in a storm off Huntington Beach.
- Foss 125
- Sunk: November 17, 1958
- Notes: This barge sank in a storm off Laguna Beach.
Shipwrecks in San Diego County
San Diego County is home to many shipwrecks, including several military ships sunk as targets.
- USS Abercrombie
- Sunk: January 7, 1968
- Notes: This John C. Butler-class destroyer escort was sunk as a target off San Diego.
- USS Archer-Fish
- USS Aspro
- Sunk: November 16, 1962
- Notes: This Balao-class submarine was sunk as a target off San Diego.
- USS Atlanta
- Sunk: October 1, 1970
- Notes: This Cleveland-class light cruiser was sunk as a target.
- Location: 32°52′47″N 118°30′29″W / 32.8796°N 118.5081°W
- USS Blackfin
- USS Champlin
- USS F-1
- Sunk: December 17, 1917
- Notes: An F-class submarine that sank after a collision off Point Loma.
- USS Hogan
- USS Knight
- USS Marcus
- Monte Carlo
- Sunk: January 1, 1937
- Notes: This oil tanker drifted onto the beach at Coronado during a storm.
- Location: 32°40′26″N 117°10′23″W / 32.674°N 117.173°W
- USS PC-815
- Sunk: September 11, 1945
- Notes: This PC-461-class submarine chaser sank after a collision with USS Laffey off San Diego.
- Location: 32°37′54″N 117°14′12″W / 32.63167°N 117.23667°W
- USS S-37
- Sunk: February 20, 1945
- Notes: An S-class submarine that broke free while being towed and sank off Imperial Beach.
- USS Sabalo
- USS Sloat
- Valiant
- Sunk: December 13, 1930
- Notes: This yacht caught fire and sank off Descanso Beach.
- USS Williams
- Sunk: June 29, 1968
- Notes: This John C. Butler-class destroyer escort was sunk as a target off San Diego.
- HMCS Yukon
- Sunk: July 2000
- Notes: This Mackenzie-class destroyer was sunk on purpose off Mission Bay to create an artificial reef for divers and marine life.
- Location: 32°46′18″N 117°16′16″W / 32.77154°N 117.27098°W
Shipwrecks in San Francisco County
San Francisco Bay and the nearby ocean have many shipwrecks, some from collisions and others sunk on purpose.
- USS Benevolence
- Sunk: April 25, 1950
- Notes: This hospital ship sank after colliding with Mary Luckenbach.
- USS Boston
- Sunk: April 8, 1946
- Notes: This protected cruiser was sunk on purpose off San Francisco.
- Location: 37°44′28″N 122°34′59″W / 37.741°N 122.583°W
- USS Bunting
- Sunk: June 3, 1942
- Notes: This minesweeper sank after a collision.
- City of Chester
- Sunk: August 22, 1888
- Notes: This passenger ship crashed into RMS Oceanic in San Francisco Bay.
- Location: 37°48′50″N 122°28′00″W / 37.81389°N 122.46667°W
- City of Rio de Janeiro
- Sunk: February 21, 1901
- Notes: This steamship hit a hidden rock in San Francisco Bay.
- USS Conestoga
- Sunk: 1921
- Notes: This ocean-going tug boat was lost at sea. Its wreck was found in the Greater Farallones National Marine Sanctuary in 2009 and identified in 2016.
- USS Devilfish
- Sunk: August 14, 1968
- Notes: This Balao-class submarine was sunk as a target off San Francisco.
- Location: 37°5′N 124°8′W / 37.083°N 124.133°W
- Escambia
- Sunk: June 19, 1882
- Notes: This steamboat flipped over off San Francisco.
- USS Hornbill
- Sunk: June 30, 1942
- Notes: This coastal minesweeper crashed into Esther Johnson in San Francisco Bay.
- James Rolph
- Sunk: August 2, 1910
- Notes: This schooner ran aground on rocks in San Pablo Bay.
- Location: 37°35′00″N 122°31′03″W / 37.5834°N 122.5176°W
- King Philip
- Sunk: 1878
- Notes: This clipper ship ran aground in big waves at Ocean Beach.
- Location: 37°45′5.48″N 122°30′35.29″W / 37.7515222°N 122.5098028°W
- USS Lewis
- Sunk: April 21, 1966
- Notes: This John C. Butler-class destroyer escort was sunk as a target.
- Lydia
- Sunk: 1907
- Notes: This wrecked whaling ship was found underneath King Street in San Francisco in 1980 during a sewer construction project.
- Location: 37°46′51″N 122°23′18″W / 37.78083°N 122.38833°W
- Ohioan
- Sunk: October 8, 1936
- Notes: This cargo ship ran aground near Seal Rock.
- Location: 37°46′43″N 122°30′58″W / 37.77861°N 122.51611°W
- USS Pensacola
- Sunk: May 1912
- Notes: This steamboat was burned and sunk by the Navy in San Francisco Bay near Hunter's Point.
- San Rafael
- Sunk: November 30, 1901
- Notes: This steamboat crashed into another ship called Sausalito off Alcatraz Island.
- USS Stewart
- Sunk: May 24, 1946
- Notes: This Clemson-class destroyer was sunk as a target west of the Golden Gate.
- Location: 37°44′56″N 122°43′44″W / 37.749°N 122.729°W
- USS Tingey
- Sunk: May 1966
- Notes: This Fletcher-class destroyer was sunk as a target off San Francisco.
- Zenobia
- Sunk: April 20, 1858
- Notes: This full-rigged ship hit a rock off Point Bonita.
Shipwrecks in San Luis Obispo County
San Luis Obispo County has at least one famous shipwreck from World War II.
- Montebello
- Sunk: December 23, 1941
- Notes: This oil tanker was hit by a torpedo from a Japanese submarine, I-21, off Cayucos during World War II.
- Location: 35°35′N 121°16′W / 35.583°N 121.267°W
Shipwrecks in San Mateo County
San Mateo County's coast, especially around Pigeon Point, has seen several shipwrecks.
- Carrier Pigeon
- Sunk: June 6, 1853
- Notes: This clipper ship ran aground about 500 feet (150 meters) offshore. The area is now called Pigeon Point because of this shipwreck. No one died in this accident.
- Sir John Franklin
- Sunk: January 17, 1865
- Notes: This clipper ship was heading for San Francisco when it hit rocks in heavy fog off what is now called Franklin Point. The ship was destroyed, and the Captain and eleven men died.
- Point Arena
- Sunk: 1913
- Notes: This was a steam schooner. Parts of its hull are now on display at Pigeon Point Lighthouse.
- San Juan
- Sunk: August 29, 1929
- Notes: This passenger steamer was hit by another ship called S. C. T. Dodd off Pigeon Point.
- Location: 37°11′N 122°25′W / 37.183°N 122.417°W
- USS Thompson
- Sunk: February 1944
- Notes: This Clemson-class destroyer was sunk as a target in San Francisco Bay.
- Location: 37°33′10″N 122°09′27″W / 37.5529°N 122.1576°W
Shipwrecks in Santa Barbara County
Santa Barbara County has many shipwrecks, including those from the famous Honda Point Disaster.
- Aggie
- Sunk: May 4, 1915
- Notes: This barquentine ran aground at Santa Rosa Island.
- USS Chauncey
- Sunk: September 8, 1923
- Notes: This was one of seven United States Navy ships that ran aground off Lompoc in a major incident known as the Honda Point Disaster.
- Location: 34°36′07″N 120°38′39″W / 34.602067°N 120.644109°W
- Chickasaw
- Sunk: February 7, 1962
- Notes: This cargo ship ran aground on Santa Rosa Island.
- Crown of England
- Sunk: November 7, 1894
- Notes: This steamship ran aground off Santa Rosa Island.
- Cuba
- Sunk: September 7, 1923
- Notes: This German steamboat was taken by the United States in 1917. It eventually ran aground off San Miguel Island on the same day as the Honda Point Disaster.
- USS Delphy
- Sunk: September 8, 1923
- Notes: This was one of seven United States Navy ships that ran aground off Lompoc in the Honda Point Disaster.
- Location: 34°36′07″N 120°38′39″W / 34.602067°N 120.644109°W
- USS Fuller
- Sunk: September 8, 1923
- Notes: This was one of seven United States Navy ships that ran aground off Lompoc in the Honda Point Disaster.
- Location: 34°36′07″N 120°38′39″W / 34.602067°N 120.644109°W
- Goldenhorn
- Sunk: September 12, 1892
- Notes: This barque ran aground off Santa Rosa Island.
- Humble SM-1
- Sunk: November 25, 1961
- Notes: This drillship sank off Santa Barbara.
- USS McCulloch
- Sunk: June 13, 1917
- Notes: This cutter crashed into a ship called Governor off Point Conception.
- USS Nicholas
- Sunk: September 8, 1923
- Notes: This was one of seven United States Navy ships that ran aground off Lompoc in the Honda Point Disaster.
- Location: 34°36′07″N 120°38′39″W / 34.602067°N 120.644109°W
- Santa Rosa
- Sunk: July 8, 1911
- Notes: This steamship ran aground at Point Arguello.
- Sibyl Marston
- Sunk: January 12, 1909
- Notes: This schooner ran aground off Lompoc.
- Location: 34°39′13″N 120°37′03″W / 34.653474°N 120.61747°W
- USS S. P. Lee
- Sunk: September 8, 1923
- Notes: This was one of seven United States Navy ships that ran aground off Lompoc in the Honda Point Disaster.
- Location: 34°36′07″N 120°38′39″W / 34.602067°N 120.644109°W
- Tokujomaru
- Sunk: March 1815
- Notes: This Japanese vessel was damaged off Japan and drifted across the Pacific Ocean. The survivors were rescued by another ship near Point Conception.
- USS Woodbury
- Sunk: September 8, 1923
- Notes: This was one of seven United States Navy ships that ran aground off Lompoc in the Honda Point Disaster.
- Location: 34°36′07″N 120°38′39″W / 34.602067°N 120.644109°W
- Yankee Blade
- Sunk: October 1, 1854
- Notes: This steamboat ran aground at Point Arguello.
- Location: 34°34′37″N 120°38′50″W / 34.57694°N 120.64722°W
- USS Young
- Sunk: September 8, 1923
- Notes: This was one of seven United States Navy ships that ran aground off Lompoc in the Honda Point Disaster.
- Location: 34°36′07″N 120°38′39″W / 34.602067°N 120.644109°W
Shipwrecks in Santa Cruz County
Santa Cruz County has a unique shipwreck that is now a popular landmark.
- Palo Alto
- Sunk: 1929
- Notes: This concrete ship was sunk in shallow water at Seacliff State Beach to be used as an entertainment spot. Now, it serves as an artificial reef, providing a home for sea creatures.
- Location: 36°58′11″N 121°54′48″W / 36.969592°N 121.913416°W
Shipwrecks in Sonoma County
Sonoma County has one notable shipwreck near Fort Ross.
- Pomona
Shipwrecks in Ventura County
Ventura County has several shipwrecks, including military vessels sunk as targets.
- USS Agerholm
- Sunk: July 18, 1982
- Notes: This Gearing-class destroyer was sunk as a target off San Nicolas Island.
- Location: 32°45′N 119°32′W / 32.750°N 119.533°W
- USS Deperm
- Sunk: September 22, 1982
- Notes: This degaussing vessel (a ship that reduces its magnetic field) was sunk as a target.
- Location: 32°58′N 119°41′W / 32.967°N 119.683°W
- Equator
- Sunk: July 2, 1949
- Notes: This fishing vessel ran aground off Anacapa Island.
- La Jenelle
- Sunk: April 13, 1970
- Notes: This cruise ship ran aground off Port Hueneme, California.
- USS Makassar Strait
- Sunk: April 1961
- Notes: This Casablanca-class escort carrier ran aground on San Nicolas Island.
- USS Ulvert M. Moore
- Sunk: July 13, 1966
- Notes: This John C. Butler-class destroyer escort was sunk as a target off San Nicolas Island.
- Winfield Scott
- Sunk: December 2, 1853
- Notes: This paddle steamer ran aground on Anacapa Island.
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List of shipwrecks of California Facts for Kids. Kiddle Encyclopedia.