North Carolina Wrecks · United States · Wreck
Portland
Bow pointing up at 8 m, two anchors still in place
A freighter that ran aground on the shoals of Cape Lookout in a 1943 storm and broke up where she lay. She rests in 17 m (55 ft) with the bow angled up to within 8 m (25 ft) of the surface and two anchors still in place, and a stern compartment that still holds live ammunition. Boats know her as the P Wreck.
Also known as P Wreck, Jacox.
Where it is and how deep
34.5140° N, 76.4680° WApproximate position — the dashed circle shows where the site lies; your operator's briefing has the mooring.
The dive
The Portland rests in 17 m (55 ft) of water about 29 km (18 miles) southeast of Beaufort Inlet, and she is not flat. The bow is pointed up toward the surface and comes to within about 8 m (25 ft) of it, with two anchors still in place, so the shallowest part of the dive is around 8 metres and the sand around her is closer to 17. That vertical spread is unusual on this coast and gives the wreck an obvious shape to work.
The stern lies on its port side and is mostly intact, with the propeller usually visible sticking up out of the sand. The natural line is between the two ends, with the raised bow as the obvious reference on the way back. Visibility is generally 15 to 25 feet (8 m), so this is close-range diving on structure rather than a wide view of a hull.
One compartment on the stern still contains .50-calibre and 2-inch rounds. They are not a souvenir and not something to move: look, note where you are, and stay out of the compartment. Storm damage has left the rest of the wreck broken enough that the same rule serves generally.
The wreck
- Vessel
- Portland (ex-Jacox)
- Type
- Freighter
- Length
- 88 m (289 ft)
- Sunk
- 1943
- Cause
- Ran aground on the shoals of Cape Lookout in a storm and broke up
- Lies
- Bow angled up to within 8 m (25 ft) of the surface, stern on its port side
The Portland began as the Jacox and was working the Pacific coast in 1942. On 11 February 1943 she was caught in a storm and ran aground on the shoals of Cape Lookout. The crew abandoned ship before the seas battered and broke her, and what they left is the wreck divers work today: a bow angled up towards the surface with its anchors still in place, and a stern lying over on its port side with the propeller standing out of the sand.
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 | Fair | Fair | Good | Good | Good | Good | Prime | Prime | Good | Off-season |
Season follows North Carolina Wrecks: Charter season runs roughly April-November; sand tiger shark aggregations peak in September-October, while December-February seas are too rough for most boats.
Know before you go
- Live ordnance remains on the wreck: a stern compartment still holds .50-calibre and 2-inch rounds. Do not enter it, handle anything or attempt to recover a round.
- The ship was battered and broken by the seas that sank her, so plating is torn and unstable in places. Keep off structure that could shift and carry a cutting tool for snagged line.
Questions divers ask
How deep is the P Wreck off Beaufort?+
The Portland rests in 55 feet of water, about 17 metres, but the bow points up to within roughly 8 m (25 ft) of the surface, so the dive spans about 8 to 17 metres. Operators rate it novice to intermediate.
Is there live ammunition on the Portland?+
Yes. A compartment on the stern still contains .50-calibre and some 2-inch rounds. Divers look but do not enter the compartment or handle the ordnance.
Sources
- North Carolina Dive Sites — Discovery Diving
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