Shipwrecks of North Carolina
Prepared by Avery Paxton
February 2014
‘Graveyard of
the Atlantic’
Map from NOAA Monitor
National Marine Sanctuary
Thousands of shipwrecks in NC
Causes of Shipwrecks
• Run aground
• Storms
• War
• Others?
USS Monitor (1862)
U.S. Naval History & Heritage Command Photograph
USS Monitor (1862)
Monitor
Collection,
NOAA.
Battle of the Atlantic
German U-boat, U85. Sank in 1943.
Types of Shipwrecks
Historic
• Sank accidentally during
storms, war, or other causes
Artificial
• Sank on purpose to form
habitat
NC Artificial Reef Program
Value of Shipwrecks
CULTURAL RESOURCES
• Time-capsules of the past are part of maritime
heritage
BIOLOGICAL RESOURCES
• Habitat for fish and invertebrates
City of Houston
John D. Gill
Hyde
Titan
Assignment
• Research your assigned shipwreck
• Present your findings in front of class
• Use ‘Worksheet 1: Shipwreck History’ as a
guide