Shipwrecks Gallery: Secrets of the Deep

Secrets of the Deep

We've gathered haunting images of shipwrecks from the murky depths of seas across the globe. Dive in!

Stuck Underwater

Divers from the University of Hawaii's Marine Option Program inspect an amphibious vehicle called the Landing Vehicle Tracked-4 (LVT–4) that was introduced by the United States in World War II. The wreck was found along the southern coast of Maui.

Caribbean Shipwreck

An unidentified Caribbean shipwreck discovered by NOAA oceanography researchers on April 1, 2011. [Gallery: Lost in the Bermuda Triangle]

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Northern Light

The shipwreck of the barge "Northern Light" was found about 2.5 miles (4 kilometers) southeast of Key Largo's Elbow Reef in the Florida Keys at a depth of 190 feet (57.9 meters). The ship was built in 1888 as a freighter by Globe Iron Works of Cleveland, Ohio, but was converted into a barge in 1927. It's believed that "Northern Light" sank in 1930 after it struck a floating object during a severe storm.

Midway Island Wreck

NOAA diver John Brooks inspects the remains of the vessel "USS MACAW" located among the reefs of Midway Island within the Northwestern Hawaiian Islands. The shipwreck serves as a reminder of the valuable contributions of the Naval Air Facility at Midway during World War II, and is part of Hawaii's Papahanaumokuakea (Northwestern Hawaiian Islands) Marine National Monument.

Hoei Maru Shipwreck

Also located within Hawaii's Papahanaumokuakea Marine National Monument, the "Hoei Maru" shipwreck rests at the bottom of Kure Atoll — the most remote of the Northwestern Hawaiian Islands. The "Hoei Maru" is one of the vessels shipwrecked on the small island's surrounding reefs.

Paul Palmer Wreckage

The "Paul Palmer" was built in 1902 and operated as a schooner in the New England coal trade. In June 1913, a fire broke out on the ship and the crew abandoned the vessel. Damage from the blaze caused "Paul Palmer" to sink to its final resting place at the bottom of the mouth of Massachusetts Bay, an area now known as the Stellwagen Bank National Marine Sanctuary. The above photo of the wreck shows fishing nets tangled in its partially buried remains.

Overgrown Hull

Shown here, Paul Palmer's wooden hull, now grown over with coral and serving as a colorful home to various fish and other marine life.

The Unknown

Divers from the University of Hawaii's Marine Option Program measure and map out an unidentified vessel. The craft was found during a survey of sunken World War II-era wrecks in the waters close to the shore of Makena in Maui, Hawaii.

Dunnottar Castle Shipwreck

Another ship located at Hawaii's Kure Atoll reef, the "Dunnottar Castle" was a 258-foot (79-meter) cargo ship that was built in 1874 in Scotland. It was making its way from Sydney, Australia, to Wilmington, Calif., with a load of coal when it struck a reef and sank in July 1886. The wreck was initially explored by marine archaeologists in 2006. Although it has become flattened over time, the ship miraculously remained largely intact. Its ruins, including an iron hull, steel yards, masts and anchors, are inhabited by fish, clams and shrimp, and some portions of the ship are covered in coral.

Shipwreck Alley

A NOAA diver investigates the lower deck of the Great Lakes wooden freighter "SS Florida," which sank after smashing into the steamship "RMS Republic" in January 1909. It now rests on the murky bottom of "Shipwreck Alley" in the Thunder Bay National Marine Sanctuary, located in northwestern Lake Huron, Mich.