Capt. Dan Berg's Wreck Valley Collection   

GREAT ISAAC

The Great Isaac was a185 foot long, 37 foot wide V-4 ocean going tug. She was built by General Ship and Engine Works, Boston, Massachusetts, in 1944 and was powered by twin diesel engines.

On April 16, 1947,while towing the Thomas M Cooley, a liberty ship, from Norfolk, Virginia, toNew York, and while passing through a dense fog bank, she was struck amid ships on her port side by the Norwegian freighter, Bandeirante.  Captain Ernest Mc Cleary, and 27 of his crew abandoned ship and were lucky enough to be picked up by the Bandeirante. The Great Isaac was doomed and went down shortly after.

Today, the Great Isaac is a fantastic three dimensional shipwreck. Her totally intact remains rest on her port side and are buried so that only half of her hull rises above the sea bed. Depth at the wreck ranges from 85 to 90 feet. This wreck is often penetrated by experienced wreck divers looking for artifacts and lobsters. Just remember that due to the extreme angle at which this tug lies, it is easy to get disoriented. As always, a penetration line is recommended. Chuck Zimmaro drew a beautiful detailed sketch of this wreck on the bottom. His drawing allows divers who have never been on her to get a clear picture of how she rests before even getting wet.

Photo Courtesy Cindy Sea III Charters Pt Pleasant, NJ.
 

All photographs, sketches, images and text

Copyright Capt. Dan Berg / Aqua Explorers Inc

2745 Cheshire Dr
Baldwin NY 11510
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