Irony Strikes Twice - Double Shipwreck Site

By Annemarie van Hemmen, May 2005

The Florida and the Isis shipwrecked at the beginning of the last century, a fascinating period in Florida's maritime history. During this era technological advancements greatly improved safety and efficiency at sea. The Spanish-American War followed by World War I raised concern about coastal defense. Away from the coast, travel over land through Florida's forests and marshes had always been cumbersome. Waterborne transportation seemed the answer. As steamships became an important means of transportation in the mid-1800s, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers labored to make Florida's waterways navigable and investigated options to connect them. Dredges were employed to deepen channels, and snagboats were used to clear obstructions. In the 1890s, an Assistant Corps Engineer in St. Augustine, John Warren Sackett, applied his technical competence and inquisitive mind to finding a solution for the water hyacinth invasion.

At the turn of the 20th Century it was clear a more modern and powerful dredge-snagboat combination was needed to clear Florida's inland waterways. The River & Harbor Act of 1899 appropriated money to build the dredge Florida for the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Florida District Office. Sackett signed over his dredging equipment patent to the Corps of Engineers after the Spanish-American War. He participated in the vessel's planning and later supervised the construction. A local Jacksonville shipbuilder, Merrill-Stevens, obtained the contract to build the Florida and delivered the dredge in 1905. The Florida had a successful run until she wrecked in 1918. By World War I the Corpsí focus was naturally once more on coastal defense. Transportation had also shifted from waterways to railways. Maritime transportation was still important but heavy lobbying by railroad barons made waterborne transportation lose ground. Even so, after the Florida tragedy, the question was raised if an adequate Florida East Coast Canal would have prevented the loss of valuable men and a government vessel much needed during the country's difficult times.

Shipwreck #1: The Dredge Florida

Dredge Florida

In the summer of 1918 the Florida dredged the East Coast Canal, now known as the Intracoastal Waterway, in the vicinity of St. Lucie. The state of Florida had suffered a long dry spell, and ironically low water levels prevented the dredge Florida from taking the inland waterway in spite of previous dredging. Captain Sharp and now District Engineer Sackett believed the Florida could make the Atlantic outside passage safely with a few adaptations. However, before reaching the Florida's next job destination on the St. Johns River, the ship ran into a fierce northeaster.

After battling severe weather for over a day the vessel sank July 3rd off Crescent Beach, just South of St. Augustine. Sackett and two crew members drowned. Many people assisted with the search and salvage efforts. Numerous Florida items washed ashore. The bodies were never found, and the three men were declared lost at sea. After two weeks local newspapers announced that bids would probably be taken for the salvage job of the Florida. No further information about the salvage operations is currently known.

Shipwreck #2: The USS Isis

USS Isis

A year and a half later, January 1920, the U.S. Coast & Geodetic Survey vessel Isis was taking soundings with the goal of marking the submerged Florida wreck as a navigational hazard. Unfortunately the Isis opened a hole in her hull upon impact with the wreck she was supposed to mark. Lieutenant Commander Luce decided to beach the vessel in an attempt to to save the Isis and crew. He succeeded in preventing loss of life. According to a local newspaper "a large number of tourists and automobile parties flocked down to Crescent Beach to watch a wrecking crew from the Merrill-Stevens Shipbuilding Company salvage the Isis." The US revenue cutter Yamacraw also arrived on the scene to assist but a "strong gale with excessive rain broke up the USS Isis" before the salvage operation was completed.

Research & Interpretive Programs

LAMP, the Lighthouse Archaeological Maritime Program, first learned about the Florida and the Isis through an entry in the St. Augustine Light Station Keepers' Log. They documented the sites during their 2002-2003 field season as part of LAMP's St. Johns County Cultural Resources Inventory and Management Plan. LAMP and the St. Augustine Lighthouse & Museum in conjunction with the Florida Bureau of Archaeological Research and the Department of Environmental Protection plan to make the Florida a part of the State Underwater Archaeological Preserve System. This preserve will allow recreational diving within a controlled environment to safeguard the archaeological site, and share its history and marine life with visitors - underwater and ashore.

Archival research at the St. Augustine Historical Society, the University of Northern Florida, Jacksonville Public Library, the Jacksonville Corps of Engineers Office, and the National Archives in Georgia, resulted in valuable data about these vessels and their tragic endings. Many blanks remain to be filled. Although the shipwrecks took place a few generations ago, locals may know family stories regarding the Florida, Isis and their shipwrecked crews. Possibly they also know about Merrill-Stevens employees from the time the Florida was constructed or rebuilt in 1908, wreck items recovered on the beaches, or salvage operations of the vessels.

Several local ties have already surfaced, including one of St. Augustine Light Station's own keepers who was a crew member on the Isis in the late 1910s. Capt. Rosenthal, Commander in Charge of the St. Augustine USCG Ponce Training Station during the latter part of World War II, was an Executive Officer on board the Isis during the beaching incident.

Persons known to have ties with the Florida & Isis:

Hopefully, spreading the word about these sites will lead to further discoveries about the vessels and the role they played in early 20th century maritime history. The more data the museum is able to gather, the better the wreck site can be interpreted and shared with the public. Stewardship of the wreck site and its corresponding history is, of course, also of great importance.

Any information at all about the Florida, Isis or persons connected with the vessels, as well as construction, operation or salvage efforts of the vessels will be greatly appreciated. Help us complete the picture by sharing stories, documents, photos and telling us about artifacts from the Florida or Isis. Please contact Annemarie van Hemmen, Research Curator at (904) 829-0745, ext. 218 or vanhemmensalh@hotmail.com

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