The North Carolina coast is known as the "Graveyard of the Atlantic" because of the over 2,000 vessels that wrecked on the treacherous shoals of the Outer Banks. These wrecks range from the 16th century to the present, and each provides a unique perspective of their own time and place. Cultural resources are non-renewable, and underwater cultural heritage sites represent a complex challenge to agencies and institutions responsible for their protection and preservation. The management, protection, and interpretation of North Carolina's extensive submerged cultural resources is the primary mission of the OSA's Underwater Archaeology Branch. The Heritage Dive Sites program creates publicly accessible shipwreck preserves that promote educational public outreach, directly involve the dive community, and build a sense of public ownership and responsibility for the tangible remains of our maritime heritage!
There are currently two Heritage Dive Sites in North Carolina for divers to explore. USS Huron in Nags Head and Condor in Kure Beach are both relatively intact wrecks, the first built as a naval vessel in the decade after the Civil War, and the latter representing one of many Civil War blockade runners that pepper coastal NC waterways. The links below provide ship histories and diving guides for each site. Further questions? Contact the Underwater Archaeology Branch!
All divers should follow safe scuba-diving practices. It is strongly recommended that visitors check on conditions with a lifeguard before swimming out to a wreck. No one should ever swim or dive alone! Remember: “Take only pictures and leave only bubbles.”
USS Huron is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. In 1991, the Secretary of the NC Department of Natural and Cultural Resources designated the site as North Carolina's first Historic Shipwreck Preserve, now called Heritage Dive Sites. The wreck is located in Nags Head, NC, between mileposts 11 and 12. An informational exhibit is located in the gazebo at the Bladen Street beach access
USS Huron
Built a decade after the Civil War, USS Huron was constructed during a period of transition between the old and new navy. Huron and its two sister ships were the last American naval vessels to be built of iron rather than steel and to be equipped with sails to supplement their steam engines.
| Built | Chester, Pennsylvania, 1875 |
|---|---|
| Length | 175 feet |
| Beam | 32 feet |
| Draft | 13 feet |
| Crew | 16 officers, 118 enlisted men |
| Power | A compound steam engine with five coal-burning boilers and a 12-foot-diameter propellor. Huron also had three masts equipped with sails. |
| Armaments | (1) 11-inch Dahlgren smoothbore cannon (2) 9-inch Dahlgren smoothbore cannon (1) 60-pounder Parrot rifle (1) 12-pounder Dahlgren boat howitzer (1) 50-caliber Gatling gun |
During its brief career (1875-1877), Huron visited ports in Mexico, Venezuela, Columbia, Key West, Mobile, Charleston, Norfolk, Boston, New York, and Washington, DC. However, it was the tragedy of Huron's sinking on November 24, 1877, that brought the ship to national attention.
The Loss of USS Huron
Huron left Hampton Roads, Virginia, on Friday, November 23, 1877. The crew was headed for Havana, Cuba, to survey the surrounding coast.
On the first night out to sea, the ship encountered a heavy storm blowing from the southeast. The storm, combined with a small error in the ship's compass, caused Huron to run aground off Nags Head at 1:30 am on November 24, 1877.
Even though Huron was only 200 yards from the beach, the heavy surf, strong currents, and cold temperature prevented most of the crew members from attempting to swim to shore. Most of the crew tried to remain on the ship in the hope that help would arrive. However, no one came to the aid of the sailors; lifesaving stations had been closed until December. The elements eventually took their toll on the storm-battered men. Many lost their strength and were washed overboard by waves. One huge wave swept at least 12 sailors away at one time. In all, 98 men lost their lives during the night.
The federal government was severely criticized for its failure to provide adequate funding for the United States Lifesaving Service. Two months after the wreck of Huron, the steamship Metropolis ran aground 23 miles to the north, with the loss of 85 lives. These two disasters prompted Congress to appropriate funding to build additional lifesaving stations along the North Carolina coast and increase their months of operation.
The USS Huron Today
The Huron site is located approximately 250 yards from the beach. During the summer months, buoys mark the bow and stern of the wreck. Divers and snorkelers who visit the site can see a wide variety of sea life as they swim over the remains of the historic warship. Many portions of the wreck hold points of interest such as boilers, cannonball storage racks, and the huge propeller and rudder.
The site map (below) depicts the wreck of Huron as it exists today. During the 1870s, the ship's cannons and much of its machinery were salvaged. Over the years, time and the elements have eroded parts of the ship. The lower hull is well preserved, however, and portions of the bow remain intact up to the main deck level. A thick layer of concretion and marine growth now covers the site, hiding many structural features. Because the Huron site is close to shore, shifting sands are constantly covering and uncovering various portions of the wreck.
Collecting artifacts from the wreck is prohibited. USS Huron and other shipwreck sites in North Carolina waters are protected by state and federal law. It is illegal to remove artifacts or disturb a shipwreck site without a valid permit. If you observe an unusual or important artifact, please do not disturb it. Note the artifact's location and report it to the Underwater Archaeology Branch or local authorities.
All divers should follow safe scuba-diving practices. It is strongly recommended that visitors check on conditions with a lifeguard before swimming out to the wreck. No one should ever swim or dive alone! Remember: “Take only pictures and leave only bubbles.”
The USS Huron Historic Shipwreck Preserve is administered cooperatively by the North Carolina Department of Natural and Cultural Resources, the Town of Nags Head, and the United States Navy. For more information about this Dive Heritage Site and North Carolina's shipwrecks, contact the Underwater Archaeology Branch.
The Civil War blockade runner Condor is one of 21 shipwrecks within the Cape Fear Civil War Shipwreck District listed on the National Register of Historic Places. The wreck was designated an NC Heritage Dive Site in 2018 and is one of the best-preserved Civil War blockade runners in the US. It is located about 700 yards off the beach in front of the North Carolina Aquarium at Fort Fisher, under 24 feet of water.
History of Condor
Condor was one of five Falcon Class steamers built on the Clyde River in Glasgow, Scotland, for the lucrative trade of blockade running. These ships were built for stealth and speed to slip past naval blockades and deliver goods, such as food and weapons, to the sieged towns. Condor took her maiden voyage on the night of October 1, 1864. Steaming past the Union naval vessels blockading the port of Wilmington, N.C., Condor ran aground and was lost.
Onboard that night was Rose O’Neal Greenhow, the famous Confederate spy, who was returning to the Confederacy after a trip to England to raise funds for the Southern cause. Fearing capture and possible execution by Union leaders, Greenhow insisted on being rowed ashore, despite the vehement protests of the captain and officers of Condor. A volunteer crew finally attempted to get Greenhow ashore, but rough seas and breaking waves capsized the boat and she drowned.
The remainder of Condor’s crew rowed ashore the following day, including a Newfoundland puppy belonging to the pilot, Thomas Brinkman. Greenhow was laid to rest in Oakdale Cemetery in Wilmington. Her gravesite is often adorned with flowers and flags, left as an homage to the “Wild Rose” of the Confederacy.
Diving on Condor
Condor's full lower hull, engines, paddle wheels and boilers all are still in place. The vessel is laid across the seafloor like a drawing of the high-tech, stealthy steamer she was when she sailed for Wilmington more than 150 years ago. Divers can almost imagine crew of Condor performing their tasks and Rose O’Neal Greenhow walking the decks.
The site sits in a relatively shallow, rocky bed, in only 24 feet of water. The main structure of the wreck itself is 21 feet below the water's surface, while parts of her machinery are only 13 feet below.
The wreck represents a relatively intact, 218.6-foot-long, iron-hulled steamship. The bow, sternpost, and rudder are still attached. In between are the outer hull plating, intact I-beam frames, the water tank, “beehive” boilers, both engines, paddlewheel shafts, paddlewheel hubs, keelson, and many other structural features. The engine room is clearly defined by the bottom of the bulkheads and is large enough to swim between the engines in full dive gear.
With a travel line running down the middle of the wreck and buoys at either end, the site is relatively easy to navigate. Dive slates with a site map (also seen below) are available for self-guided tours around the complete wreck. This dive provides an excellent opportunity to interact with North Carolina's cultural history.
Tour the Site
Select a link that corresponds with the map below to view an underwater video of the dive site.
- Copper Steam Machinery (between #2 and 3 on map)
- Engines (#3 on map)
- Top of Engine Machinery (#3)
- Starboard Paddle Wheel (#4)
- Port Paddle Wheel (#4)
- Boilers (#6)
Collecting artifacts from the wreck is prohibited. Condor and other shipwreck sites in North Carolina waters are protected by state and federal law. It is illegal to remove artifacts or disturb a shipwreck site without a valid permit. If you observe an unusual or important artifact, please do not disturb it. Note the artifact's location and report it to the Underwater Archaeology Branch or local authorities.
All divers should follow safe scuba-diving practices. Due to unpredictable visibility and the preponderance of corroding iron, this site is considered intermediate diving. It is strongly recommended that visitors check on conditions with a lifeguard before swimming out to the wreck. No one should ever swim or dive alone! Remember: “Take only pictures and leave only bubbles.”
The Condor Dive Heritage Site and all shipwrecks along the NC coast are managed by the Underwater Archaeology Branch.