D.T. Sheridan Shipwreck – Monhegan, Maine - Atlas Obscura

D.T. Sheridan Shipwreck

Monhegan, Maine

The steel hull of a wrecked tug rests on Lobster Cove on Monhegan Island’s rocky southeastern shore. 

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Ten miles off the coast of Maine, Monhegan Island’s dirt roads are lined in the summertime with the easels of artists seeking to capture its rugged beauty in watercolors and oils. The mossy forests of the interior are crisscrossed with hiking trails and seals play in the waves below the sheer cliff faces.

The Monhegan Island lighthouse has shown a guiding beacon from its current structure since 1850. But on November 7, 1948, a dense fog around the island caused a diesel-propelled tug boat to run aground.

The crew of the D.T. Sheridan was in the process of transporting two barges of soft coal from Norfolk, Virginia to Bangor, Maine when the wreck occurred. Thanks to the quick actions of a local seaman, Raymond Pix, all members of the crew were brought in safely.

In the 1970s, a large storm caused the rusted carcass of the D.T. Sheridan to shift another 50 yards inland. To this day, visitors can sit upon the wreckage to watch waves crash upon the rocks of Lobster Cove and view a variety of seabirds. Caution is advised due to the high surf and strong undertow. It is said that no one who has gone overboard between Green Point and Lobster Cove has been saved.

Know Before You Go

Monhegan Island can be reached by one of three ferry lines leaving from New Harbor, Port Clyde, or Boothbay Harbor. The boat ride to the island takes a bit more than an hour. There are no cars or bikes permitted on the trails. It is recommended to purchase a trail map to locate the Lobster Cove trailhead.

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August 2, 2019

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