Aqua Explorers Inc. is proud to announce that on Sept 14th, 2000, Capt. Dan Berg and a team of divers from the R.V. Wreck Valley successfully recovered a large 800- pound fluted anchor from the Pilot Boat wreck .
The Sandy Hook was built at the Crescent Ship Yard in Elizabeth, New Jersey, back in 1902. She was originally named the Anstice when sailing as a private steam yacht. She was later renamed the Privateer and finally Sandy Hook when commissioned and refitted as a pilot boat in 1914.
On April 27, 1939, while sailing in a dense fog, the steam powered, 361 ton pilot boat was rammed aft of the port beam and sunk by the Norwegian ship, Oslofjord. All 20 pilots and six crew members were rescued with little or no injuries. Robert Peterson, one of the pilots aboard the Sandy Hook, gave the following account to the NEW YORK POST. " I was in the main saloon, prepared to board the vessel as she neared. Suddenly I looked out the porthole and there was the bow of the boat almost on top of us. I jumped and ran out of the cabin. The next instant, she hit us. Everybody ran for the boats as mast and booms crashed on deck smashing a life boat".
The Sandy Hook or Pilot Boat Wreck as she is more commonly known sits in 100 ft of water 12 miles south west of Jones Inlet on Long Island NY’s south shore. The wreck sits on a silty bottom with her bow section separated from her main wreckage.
The dive team composed of Capt. John Lachenmayer, Capt. Berg, Phil Senk, Art Paltz and Aaron Hirsh utilized two Subsalve 2000 pound lift bags to raise the heavy artifact. The team then spent 6 hours towing the big artifact back to shore. The anchor is now going through a lengthy preservation process after which it will be displayed locally. For additional historical information on NY & NJ shipwrecks refer to Capt. Berg’s Wreck Valley Vol II book or check
out the Aqua Explorers web page www.aquaexplorers.com.
