USS Massachusetts

Commissioned on June 10, 1896, the USS Massachusetts BB-2 was one of America's first true oceangoing battleships.  More than 350 feet in length, and 70 feet wide, the 10,000 ton steel ship was equipped with 13 inch Main Guns, 8 inch batteries, torpedo tubes, gattling guns, and a host of smaller arms. 

Massachusetts first saw combat during the Spanish-American war while she was part of the US naval blockade of Cuban ports.  In the years following the Spanish-American War, and into World War I, the technology of the USS Massachusetts was quickly surpassed, and she was relegated to near coastal support, primarily as a training vessel. 

In 1919 She was decommissioned, and in 1921, the USS Massachusetts was towed to Pensacola Florida where she was scuttled in shallow water to be used as a target for artillery batteries at Fort Pickens.  She remains in the same location today, where she was dedicated as Florida's first underwater archaeological preserve on June 10th, 1993 - the 100th anniversary of her launching.

SS San Pablo

The 315 ft long merchant vessel "San Pablo"  was built in Belfast Ireland in 1915.  A refrigerated cargo ship, San Pablo was owned and operated operated in the Caribbean and the Central and South American Atlantic coast by the United Fruit Company. 

As the hostilities of World War II spread into the region, the entire merchant fleet came under attack from the German U-Boat fleet.  At 9:10pm on July 2nd 1942, San Pablo was torpedoed by U-161 and sank while tied up to the dock at puerto Limon Costa Rica.  23 men were killed in the attack,  which was to become the centerpiece in a tense political battle in Costa Rica.

San Pablo sat submerged at the dock with only her superstructure exposed until March of 1943, when she was raised and towed to Florida by the us Navy salvage ship USS Crusader.  Upon arrival in port at Tampa, San Pablo was declared unrepairable, and she was brought to Pensacola to be used as a target ship for artillery batteries at Fort Pickens.  She was sunk approximately 9 miles SE of Pensacola Pass.

San Pablo is known locally as the "Russian Freighter", most likely because of rumors that were spread concerning the Coast Guard's determination of her being a hazard to navigation and subsequent demolition of the ship during the late 1960's or early 70's.  

Norwegian Bark "Catherine"

The three-masted cargo ship built in Canada in 1869.

She was nearly 200 feet long and over 30 feet in beam. The ship was originally named Eliza and made commercial journeys out of New Brunswick. She was sold to a Norwegian firm in 1890 and continued as a merchant vessel, but under the new name of Cathrine. The records of the ship show her name spelled as Catherine or Catharine also.

In August of 1894, the Catherine ran aground offshore of Santa Rosa Island. Her crew of 17 was safely rescued but the boat was too damaged to ever sail again. Some fittings and riggings were removed by salvors before the surf finally pulled the vessel underwater. She now rests in about 15 feet of water, 1000 feet out from Fort Pickens. A 30-foot section of bronze-plated hull is usually visible as it protrudes about five feet out of the sand. The amount of debris visible nearby changes as storms and tides move the sand.

The waters in which Catherine rests are part of the Gulf Islands National Seashore. Since 1994 the State of Florida and the University of West Florida have worked together with the national park to investigate this wreck along with another much older wreck on the inshore side of Santa Rosa Island.

Although some strong swimmers may be able to reach this divespot swimming from shore, it is recommended to take a boat to the site. The tidal currents and surge are strong in this area and boat traffic is often heavy.

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