Hunting New England Shipwrecks

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USS Galena was a steam sloop (U.S. Navy photo)	Newspaper report on the Galena and Nina grounding (Author's collection)

Shipwreck Data
Vessel Name	USS Galena
Other Names
Vessel Type	Steam sloop
Owner	U.S. Navy
Length / Beam / Draft (feet)	216' / 37' /
Tonnage	1,900 DT
Hull Construction	Wood
Propulsion	Steam/ Screw
Cargo
Built	1880 at Norfolk Naval Yard
Date of Loss	March 13, 1891
Reason for Loss	Grounded on reef in fog
Fatalities	None
Location	Grounded on Devil's Bridge, off Martha's Vineyard, MA; refloated several days later
Coordinates (Lat/Lon)
Coordinates (Loran C)
Water Depth (feet)
Typical Visibility (feet)
Wreck Condition
Diving Considerations
Other Information	While towing the sloop USS Galena, the Navy tug USS Nina and the Galena both grounded in fog on Devil's Bridge reef, off Martha's Vineyard, MA, on March 13, 1891. Both vessels were refloated several days later. The Nina was repaired and put back in service, but the Galena was damaged beyond repair and was later sold for salvage. The Navy tug USS Triana, which was called to assist with the salvage effort, stranded at nearby Cuttyhunk Island and became a total wreck. To visit our data page on the USS Nina, click here. To visit our data page on the USS Triana, click here.