Long Island Wreck Valley · United States · Wreck
SS Oregon
Held the transatlantic speed record in 1884; her engine still stands clear of the wreck
Area photo: Unknown photographer · Public domain
A record-breaking transatlantic liner sunk by an unseen collision in 1886, SS Oregon lies bow-first on the seabed south of Long Island. Her iron hull and decks have long since collapsed, but her compound steam engine still stands clear of the wreckage, the tallest feature on a site that runs from about 26 metres at the engine to 38 metres on the sand. She is one of the classic, accessible wrecks of Long Island's charter fleet.
Where it is and how deep
40.5167° N, 71.7333° WApproximate position — the dashed circle shows where the site lies; your operator's briefing has the mooring.
The dive
Oregon sank bow-first, and what's left settles into that shape: the bow area is the most broken ground, while further aft the wreck opens onto the site's one unmistakable landmark. Being made of brittle wrought iron rather than steel, her decks have long since collapsed in on themselves, and most of what a diver actually sees is what that collapse exposed rather than an intact hull.
The compound steam engine is the reason to make the trip. It still stands clear of the surrounding wreckage, roughly 12 metres above the seabed, with her nine boilers grouped nearby; by far the tallest and most recognisable structure on the site, and usually the first thing a descending diver's light finds. Depth runs from about 26 metres at the top of the engine down to 38 on the sand around it, comfortably within recreational trimix range.
She went down fast for a ship her size: struck amidships by an unseen schooner around 4:30 in the morning, she sank bow-first about eight hours later with her masts staying above the surface for several tides. Nearly everyone aboard was rescued; only a first-class passenger who fell overboard during the evacuation was lost, while the schooner and her entire crew went down within minutes of the collision and were never identified with certainty.
The wreck
- Vessel
- SS Oregon
- Type
- Iron-hulled steam passenger liner
- Length
- 158.8 m (521 ft)
- Built
- 1883
- Sunk
- 1886
- Cause
- Collided before dawn with an unidentified schooner, believed to be the Charles H. Morse
- Lies
- Bow-first south of Long Island; engine and boilers stand clear of the collapsed hull in 26-38 m
Built by John Elder & Company on the Clyde for the Guion Line, Oregon entered service in 1883 and took the transatlantic speed record, the Blue Riband, in April 1884 before being sold on to Cunard. On 14 March 1886, inbound to New York with 852 people aboard, she collided before dawn with an unidentified schooner, likely the Charles H. Morse, which sank at once with all hands. Oregon's own passengers and crew were rescued by passing ships; only cricketer Charles Waller was lost, falling overboard in the evacuation. She sank bow-first about eight hours after the collision.
Marine life and season
The sources we used don't single out particular species here.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Off-season | Off-season | Off-season | Fair | Good | Good | Prime | Prime | Prime | Good | Fair | Off-season |
Season follows Long Island Wreck Valley: Offshore charters run roughly April through November, picking up from mid-June; winter Atlantic swell, cold and short daylight shut the fleet down from December to March.
Know before you go
- Decks have collapsed into a jumble of iron plating; watch buoyancy and avoid pulling yourself along broken structure.
- Current is normally mild but turns strong without much warning; plan the dive around slack water and keep the ascent line in sight.
Questions divers ask
How deep is the SS Oregon wreck?+
The wreck runs from about 26 metres, at the top of her engine and boilers, down to 38 metres on the sand; well within recreational trimix range and a single-day charter.
What can you still see on the SS Oregon?+
Her iron decks have collapsed, but the compound steam engine still stands clear of the wreckage with her nine boilers nearby, the one unmistakable landmark on an otherwise broken site.
Sources
- SS Oregon (1883) — Wikipedia
- SS Oregon — Shipwreck World
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