The Emerald Wreck is the remains of an unidentified coastal freighter. The wreck sits in 80 feet of water off Manasquan Inlet NJ. This is with out a doubt one of the best digging wrecks in the area. Divers have recovered everything from portholes, bottles and ink wells.

 The Emerald Wrecks twin engines provide the highest relief on the site and rises a good 15 feet or so off the sandy bottom. The engines are certainly the most easily recognizable landmark on the site. To explore shipwrecks and search their remains for artifacts and lobsters is a fascinating adventure that's only possible through the sport of scuba diving. Just in front of the engines divers can easily recognize the remains of her two broken down boilers. These boilers indicate the sites forward most wreckage. Most of the Emerald Wrecks remains have given in to the elements of time, collapsing into a pile of low lying scattered debris. Divers in search of artifacts need only find a good spot and dig.   This is a great wreck for a water dredge.

According to Steve Nagelwitz from the Diversion II. The Emerald is actually the Frances Wright (Hibiscus)

Underwater Photo by Herb Segars: Photographed off the coast of New Jersey, USA. The Emerald was a 500 ton wood-hulled steamer. NJ Scuba reports that the wreck is probably the Hibiscus, a twin-screw steamer built in 1864 and commissioned into the US Navy at that time. She saw service during the Civil War. She was decommissioned in 1866 and sold in New York. She was later renamed the Francis Wright and then renamed the Hibiscus. She broke a propeller shaft while cruising off New Jersey, took on water, and sank. The Emerald lies in 76' of water. She is called the Emerald because of all the green-tarnished brass and copper taken off her when she was originally found years ago. The wreck is completely demolished - only the engines stand relatively high and intact. Much of the wreckage is covered by 3-4 feet or more of fine sand and the wreck is very difficult to find and anchor.

The Emerald wrecks engines. Photo courtesy Brandon http://downtoolong.com
 

Enrique Alverez with a porthole recovered from the Emerald Shipwreck.	Capt. Dan Berg and Capt. Steve Nagelwitz with a bottle recovered from the Emerald shipwreck.	Crew of the Sea Lion after a dredginf trip to the Emerald Wreck.	Ink Wells circa 1800's recovered from the wreck by George Hoffman. Photo by Dan Berg
Artifacts from the Emerald Wreck. Courtesy Steve Nagelwitz.		Underwater sketch of the Emerald Wreck by Dan Berg	Steve Nagelwitz with artifacts from the Emerald Shipwreck. Photo by Dan Berg
Steve nagelwitz's artifacts from the Emerald.	Keg Taps recovered from the wreck. Photo by Dan Berg	Dan Berg, George Hoffman and crew of the Sea Lion after a trip to the Sea Lion. Photo by Mike McMeekin	Capt. Hank Garvin with an intact bottle from the Emerald Wreck. Photo by Dan Berg

Sunk May 1st, 1873

•Built in 1864  at Fairhaven, Ct.

•Type – wood hulled steamship

•Gross Tons – 597

•Length: 161ft – Beam: 31ft – Draft: 9ft

•Power – coal fired twin steam engines

•Previous names: Hibiscus

The Shipwreck Diving E-Book  Instant Downloadable E-Book 

Shipwreck Diving, by Capt. Dan Berg is a complete how to book about the sport of wreck diving. This book is packed with information and heavily illustrated with over 80 sensational color photographs.