Wreckage found off Fire Island thought to be former SS Savannah
Some of Long Island’s maritime history remains concealed by the sands and seas surrounding the mainland. Occasionally, a strong storm may unearth objects once swept into oblivion by Fire Island waters.
That is what happened in October, when Tropical Storm Ian revealed treasure — historical treasure, that is, not gold, although that, too, is rumored to be squirreled away on Fire Island. Fire Island National Seashore Ranger Claire Formanski spotted remains of a pre-Civil War ship that the park service believes could be the Savannah, the first ship to use steam power in intercontinental travel, which was lost when she hit one of the barrier island’s sandbars on Nov. 5, 1821.
The 13-foot by 13-foot remains were in the surf, about 2.75 miles east of Old Inlet, the park service said. A storm pulled the wreckage further down the beach where it became a hazard to boaters, prompting the park service to lug the ruins ashore.
“This piece is a significant piece,” said Susan Sarna, the cultural resource program manager for FINS. “By looking at the pictures, I could tell right away, as [others] could, this was not just a piece of pier.”
The park service is consulting with experts to identify the remains, but through their own research have eliminated other ships that wrecked in the area. But they haven’t ruled out the two-decker Savannah, said FINS museum technician Betsy DeMaria.
The Fire Island Lighthouse Preservation Society has taken ownership of the remains and will collaborate with the park service to craft a plan for public display. The organizations are hoping to formally display the shipwreck by summer, Sarna said.
The remains will be the largest piece of a shipwreck the society has on display, said executive preservation society director Tony Femminella. None of the society’s small pieces have been linked to a specific ship, which makes the prospect of the latest find belonging to the Savannah exciting, he said.
“Anything that’s related to the maritime history and the lighthouse, we get very excited about it here,” the director said. “We’ve had hundreds and hundreds of shipwrecks out here.”
The remains can be a compelling teaching tool and showcase the importance of the lighthouse, which guided ships to New York Harbor. Additionally, it opens the door to conversations about the tides, historic shipbuilding and local shipwrecks, Sarna said.
It’s not uncommon for powerful storms to reveal shipwrecks. After Superstorm Sandy ravaged the area, it left something behind: the remains of the Bessie A. White, which was wrecked in 1922. The ship is periodically uncovered by storms, most recently in 2010 and 1988.
Hundreds of ships foundered and wrecked along Fire Island, which was dangerous to navigate because of its sandbars. Other wrecks include the Benjamin Franklin, the Elizabeth and the Louis V. Place.
Identifying the recently found wreckage as the remains of the Savannah would be thrilling, park service employees said. The ship was famous in her heyday for her 1819 Atlantic Ocean crossing, which was an outstanding feat at the time. It would take nearly 30 years for another American steamship to cross the Atlantic.
The Savannah was 98 feet, 6 inches in length; the treenails found in the wreckage indicate the ship the park service discovered was about 100 feet long. The Savannah was constructed in 1818; the preservation society's ship was likely constructed around 1820, because of the type of iron spikes used, DeMaria said.
“At this point, we can't say yes, but we can't eliminate it,” DeMaria said. “Everything is still lining up.”
During the infamous 1820 Savannah fire the Savannah's owners suffered financial losses and were forced to sell the ship. Her steam engine was removed and by the time she wrecked, the Savannah, propelled only by her sails, was used as a cargo ship. She was hauling cotton during her last voyage.
DeMaria said no one died when the Savannah hit the sandbar on that tempestuous autumn day more than 200 years ago. Some of the cargo and parts of the boat were salvaged, but the hull and other parts were left behind.
An exact location of the sinking was never recorded, and the mystery of her final resting place has puzzled enthusiasts since the 1950s, some of whom have spent tens of thousands of dollars in pursuit of the ship’s remains.
Some have thought they found remnants before, but nothing has been conclusively tied to the famous ship — yet.
Some of Long Island’s maritime history remains concealed by the sands and seas surrounding the mainland. Occasionally, a strong storm may unearth objects once swept into oblivion by Fire Island waters.
That is what happened in October, when Tropical Storm Ian revealed treasure — historical treasure, that is, not gold, although that, too, is rumored to be squirreled away on Fire Island. Fire Island National Seashore Ranger Claire Formanski spotted remains of a pre-Civil War ship that the park service believes could be the Savannah, the first ship to use steam power in intercontinental travel, which was lost when she hit one of the barrier island’s sandbars on Nov. 5, 1821.
The 13-foot by 13-foot remains were in the surf, about 2.75 miles east of Old Inlet, the park service said. A storm pulled the wreckage further down the beach where it became a hazard to boaters, prompting the park service to lug the ruins ashore.
A painting of SS Savannah, 1819, by Hunter Wood. By the time the ship sank in 1821 her pioneering steam engine and paddle wheels had been removed. Credit: Hunter Wood
“This piece is a significant piece,” said Susan Sarna, the cultural resource program manager for FINS. “By looking at the pictures, I could tell right away, as [others] could, this was not just a piece of pier.”
WHAT TO KNOW
- The Savannah was the first ship to use steam power in intercontinental travel when it crossed the Atlantic Ocean in 1819.
- She was lost when she struck one of the Fire Island’s sandbars during a storm on Nov. 5, 1821, but the exact location of the sinking was not recorded.
- In October 2022. Tropical Storm Ian uncovered wreckage believed to be the remains of the Savannah.
The park service is consulting with experts to identify the remains, but through their own research have eliminated other ships that wrecked in the area. But they haven’t ruled out the two-decker Savannah, said FINS museum technician Betsy DeMaria.
The Fire Island Lighthouse Preservation Society has taken ownership of the remains and will collaborate with the park service to craft a plan for public display. The organizations are hoping to formally display the shipwreck by summer, Sarna said.
The remains will be the largest piece of a shipwreck the society has on display, said executive preservation society director Tony Femminella. None of the society’s small pieces have been linked to a specific ship, which makes the prospect of the latest find belonging to the Savannah exciting, he said.
“Anything that’s related to the maritime history and the lighthouse, we get very excited about it here,” the director said. “We’ve had hundreds and hundreds of shipwrecks out here.”
The remains can be a compelling teaching tool and showcase the importance of the lighthouse, which guided ships to New York Harbor. Additionally, it opens the door to conversations about the tides, historic shipbuilding and local shipwrecks, Sarna said.
It’s not uncommon for powerful storms to reveal shipwrecks. After Superstorm Sandy ravaged the area, it left something behind: the remains of the Bessie A. White, which was wrecked in 1922. The ship is periodically uncovered by storms, most recently in 2010 and 1988.
Hundreds of ships foundered and wrecked along Fire Island, which was dangerous to navigate because of its sandbars. Other wrecks include the Benjamin Franklin, the Elizabeth and the Louis V. Place.
Identifying the recently found wreckage as the remains of the Savannah would be thrilling, park service employees said. The ship was famous in her heyday for her 1819 Atlantic Ocean crossing, which was an outstanding feat at the time. It would take nearly 30 years for another American steamship to cross the Atlantic.
The Savannah was 98 feet, 6 inches in length; the treenails found in the wreckage indicate the ship the park service discovered was about 100 feet long. The Savannah was constructed in 1818; the preservation society's ship was likely constructed around 1820, because of the type of iron spikes used, DeMaria said.
“At this point, we can't say yes, but we can't eliminate it,” DeMaria said. “Everything is still lining up.”
During the infamous 1820 Savannah fire the Savannah's owners suffered financial losses and were forced to sell the ship. Her steam engine was removed and by the time she wrecked, the Savannah, propelled only by her sails, was used as a cargo ship. She was hauling cotton during her last voyage.
DeMaria said no one died when the Savannah hit the sandbar on that tempestuous autumn day more than 200 years ago. Some of the cargo and parts of the boat were salvaged, but the hull and other parts were left behind.
An exact location of the sinking was never recorded, and the mystery of her final resting place has puzzled enthusiasts since the 1950s, some of whom have spent tens of thousands of dollars in pursuit of the ship’s remains.
Some have thought they found remnants before, but nothing has been conclusively tied to the famous ship — yet.
Brinley Hineman covers the Town of Hempstead and the City of Long Beach for Newsday. She previously was a reporter in Nashville, Tennessee, and is a West Virginia native.
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