Twenty-five years ago this week, the tugboat Celtic sank about a mile-and-a-half south of Sheffield Island. Towing 1400 tons of scrap metal from Bridgeport to Newark, she sank in 75 feet of water, taking along with her the seven crewmembers. An investigation later revealed that the barge she was towing, the Cape Race, had recently undergone repairs to fix several leaks. They concluded that the repairs failed, the barge filled with water, then sank, pulling the Celtic down on the evening of November 17, 1984.
Built in 1958 at the Jakobson Shipyard in Oyster Bay, the tug was named Russell 10 (above), then the Judith McAllister, and eventually the Celtic.
I have never been scuba-diving, but a few years ago I bought a book at a yard sale entitled Shipwrecks of Long Island Sound (or something to that effect). There are many more wrecks on the bottom of the Sound than I imagined. This past year I discovered the Wreckhunters website, and Dave Clancy was kind enough to provide me with some background information on the Celtic.
Wreckhunter: Hunting New England Shipwrecks
Jakobson Shipyard: Shipbuilding Registry
CT Harbor Management: Salvage 2008 (page 4)
AquaExplorers: Celtic Shipwreck
Map
photo credit: Tugster
Wreckhunter: Hunting New England Shipwrecks
Jakobson Shipyard: Shipbuilding Registry
CT Harbor Management: Salvage 2008 (page 4)
AquaExplorers: Celtic Shipwreck
Map
photo credit: Tugster
6 comments:
Wow. As always, your links are educations in themselves. But any idea why the name changes? Different owners??
It is very interesting for me to read the article. Thank author for it. I like such topics and everything connected to them. I definitely want to read more on that blog soon.
Very interesting post. I heard that is is bad juju to change the name of a boat.
Brenda A and Steve B,
It is fairly common for different owners to rename a boat. One company names all their tugs McAllister; Joan McAllister, Anne McAllister etc.
It's a very good shipwreck to dive, as well.
i rode on her with my dad when she was the judith
Post a Comment