The shipwreck of the famous SS Savannah may have been found off New York after Hurricane Jan

As Tropical Storm Ian swept through the northeast last fall, a former Category 4 hurricane helped unearth the wreckage of a possible early 19th-century ship along the New York coastline.

The remains of the old ship, measuring 13 feet by 13 feet, were discovered on October 21, 2022 by a ranger from the Fire Island National Law Enforcement Service.

According to the Fire Island Lighthouse Conservation Society, the wreckage was once partly exposed in the dunes and had previously been observed by National Park Service (NPS) officials.

Before it was beached, the wreckage was located about 3 miles east of Old Fire Island Bay. According to the NPS, investigations into the wreck began immediately.

“Our observations indicate that this is the wreckage of a relatively small ship built around 1820,” the NPS said in a written statement.

Wreckage nails or wooden pegs driven into the ship’s planks to hold them together suggest the ship is about 100 feet long, NPS said. Several spikes found on the wreckage also date back to 1820.

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While the Fire Island Lighthouse continues to consult with other experts on the identification of the wreck, researchers have ruled out known ships that crashed further west than the location of this wreck.

“There still remains a significant number of known and unknown wrecks for which there is little to no documentation and which will require further research,” the NPS said in a statement. “Of known wrecks, the steamship Savannah has risen to the top as a contender.”

The SS Savannah was built in 1818 directly under the Williamsburg Bridge connecting Manhattan and Brooklyn. Savannah Steamship purchased it before completion. It is best known for being the first ship to use steam power for intercontinental travel.

The ship ran aground on one of Fire Island’s many sandbanks on November 23, 1821.

“While we cannot unequivocally identify the wreck in question as Savannah, we have not yet been able to exclude it from consideration,” the NPS said in a statement. “Savannah is one of the most well-documented and studied Fire Island crash sites, and so far nothing contradicts our findings.”

The Fire Island Lighthouse Preservation Society said the crash is an important piece of history. It also represents hundreds of ships wrecked off the coast of Fire Island.

“The interpretation of the wreck has the potential to explore topics such as seafaring and navigation, the role of the United States Life Saving Service in salvaging and rescuing wrecked ships, goods, crews and passengers, and the environmental changes that caused such wreckage to be buried and then exposed. ,” the NPS said in a statement.

At 168 feet, Fire Island Lighthouse is the tallest lighthouse on Long Island and boasts over 20 lighthouses in a variety of styles and sizes.