Shipwrecks of Olympic Coast National Marine Sanctuary
Washington’s Pacific coast has witnessed thousands of years of humanity with a parade of explorers and traders—ancient and new.
The Olympic Coast has sustained human communities for at least 4,000–8,000 years, and possibly much longer. Thus claims of the region’s "discovery" by European explorers may be viewed with disbelief since it was already settled by the area’s original inhabitants who have lived along the Olympic Coast for thousands of years.
Early exploration of this region by Europeans was driven by rumors of the existence of the Northwest Passage, a shortcut from Europe to Asia, dating back to the early 17th century. The “discovery” of the Strait of Juan de Fuca in the 1790s brought a rush of explorers and traders, and sparked intense competition among Spain, Russia, England, and the fledgling United States for access and control of the region’s bountiful resources.
There are few recorded shipwrecks prior to the mid-nineteenth century, and no authentically-reported wrecks during the eighteenth century. The number of losses increased significantly as Puget Sound developed as an economic center and as Victoria in British Columbia developed on the north side of the Strait in the late 19th century.
Remains of the engine block from Skagway. Photo NOAA
Ship losses were predominantly weather-related, including vessels adrift, collisions, and groundings. Many ships simply disappeared, their last known location recorded by the lighthouse tender at Tatoosh before they disappeared into watery oblivion. "Last sighted, Cape Flattery," is the grim epitaph for many unfortunate ships and crew. Due to the destructive forces of waves and currents, very few ships remain intact, particularly near the shore.
Olympic Coast National Marine Sanctuary’s inventory of historic properties began shortly after the sanctuary’s 1994 designation and largely concentrated on historic shipwrecks. The volunteer organization, Coastal Maritime Archaeology Resources (CMAR), was a partner in these early efforts. CMAR provided some initial research through a literature review on which historic ships were believed lost in the newly designated sanctuary. This information was the basis of the research design for initial survey efforts in the sanctuary. Between 1995 and 2001, the sanctuary undertook five surveys to document historic shipwrecks within the near-shore coastal zone. These surveys included acoustic and magnetic remote sensing, diver identification of target anomalies, and a visual survey in the intertidal zone
Wreckage from Austria. NOAA
One of the best-known wrecks on the Olympic Coast was that of Austria, a Bath, Maine-built "downeaster" converted from a full-rigged ship to a bark to ply the West Coast trade. Fragments of Austria remain visible at Cape Alava during extreme low tides.
Read about individual shipwrecks in the sanctuary by selecting numbers on the map or images below the map. Please note, positions are approximate and offset to protect maritime heritage resources.
