Shipwreck Old Yankee

The Yankee now known as the Old Yankee was thought to be a 296 foot by 40 foot steel hulled coastwise steamer, sunk in 1919. In 1995 John Lachenmayer and Dan Bergs research proved that the wreck previously known as G&D was actually the Yankee. The Old Yankee is now re-classified as an unidentified shipwreck

 In 1988, Bill Campbell dove the Yankee and brought up an 18 pound black fish. Although this is not quite a record fish, it is certainly impressive, especially after hearing the story behind its capture. First of all, Bill didn't even have a spear gun; he was just looking around for lobsters when he found the huge fish amongst some wreckage. Bill took out his dive knife and stabbed the fish, trying to hold it against the sand bottom so it couldn't escape. The fish was so strong that it yanked the knife right out of Bill's hands, and swam away with the knife still in its side. Bill swam after the fish and soon found his knife sitting in the sand. He was amazed that he could actually see a blood trail floating just off the bottom. After imitating a blood hound for a few minutes, he relocated his prized fish wedged between two steel hull plates. A photograph of Bill and his fish appeared in the next issue of the LONG ISLAND FISHERMAN Magazine.

 Today, the Old Yankee is in 125 to 135 feet of water 18 miles out of Fire Island Inlet. Her twin boilers, single triple expansion engine and steel four bladed propeller all lie in a straight line. Most of her wreckage is flattened out, but she is still an excellent lobstering wreck.  

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