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New Jersey Wreck Dives - Maurice Tracey |
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| Ship's Name | The Maurice Tracy |
| Type | Shipwreck, collier, USA |
| Built | 1916, Ashtabula OH USA, as Nordstrand, later Sekstant |
| Circumstances |
Victim of one of the many wartime
collisions, the Maurice Tracy is today a scattered debris field
of flattened hull plates and larger pieces, although not as thoroughly
demolished as many other wartime wrecks.
The stern of the Tracy is the highest part, with the curve of the fantail still evident. Referring to the picture above, the pilot house is still partially intact, and almost upright, as is the platform for the deck gun, at the extreme rear of the vessel. Between the deck gun and the pilot house is a great deal of semi-collapsed wreckage, with many spaces large enough to squeeze inside of, and inhabited by Blackfish and lobsters. Just aft of the pilot house are the twin boilers, side by side and very large, with open ends. Forward of the pilot house the wreckage is low-lying, scattered and discontinuous. The debris field is very large, and striking out over the sand ( using a wreck reel ! ) can yield interesting results. The bow probably represents the largest piece here, but there really isn't very much to it. Lobsters especially are more likely to be found in the outlying chunks than in the heavily fished main wreckage. Artifact hunters should look elsewhere - no brass here. |
| Specs | ( 253 x 43 ft ) 2468 gross tons |
| Depths | 70 ft |
| Sunk | Saturday June 17, 1944. collision with freighter Jesse Billingsley - no casualties |
| Photo |
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Sea Dwellers of New Jersey 231 Herbert Avenue, Closter, NJ 07624 201-564-7571 Fax 201-564-7572 email: info@SeaDwellersNJ.com |
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