The stern fantail lying on starboard side
Remains of battery
Port side anchor and windlass
on top of the bow
on top of the bow
The rudder and right most prop blade come and go depending on the level of sand
| SHIP NOTES: (Gentile, Moore) | |
| Name: KESHENA | Type: Tug Boat |
| Date Sunk: 7/19/42 | Cause: Struck friendly mine |
| Size (ft.): 142 x 27 x 15 | Gross Tonnage: 427 |
| Propulsion: Oil engine; electric motor | Location N34° 59.610'/W75° 45.718' |
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| SHIP HISTORY: (Gentile, Hickham, Hoyt, Stick, Moore) | |
| The Keshena was called out with another tug (J.P. Martin) to assist a group of wounded ships (S.S. Chilore, J.A. Mowinckle led by destroyer U.S.S. Spry) that had sailed unknowingly into the Cape Hatteras minefield while seeking safety after a u-boat attack (U-576). (The Bluefields sunk earlier from the attack.) As they entered the minefield, the Chilore and the Mowinckle both struck friendly mines. While towing the Mowinckle to the beach for later salvage, the Keshena, in the stern/rudder position for the tow swung outside the cleared channel and hit a friendly mine. She sunk quickly and two crew members were killed. One who was in the engine room during the explosion and one who later drowned. | |
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| DIVING NOTES: | |
| Diving Depths: 75-90 ft. | |
| Visibility: generally greater than 40 ft; often more than 70 ft. | |
| Current: generally slight to none, almost always diveable | |
| Summer Temperature: mid 70s | |
| Points of Interest: Upright bow with anchors and windlass; two boilers; intact stern with rudder, propeller and steering quadrant; | |
| Fish/Animal Life: Large schools of spadefish; cobia and southern stingray; lots tropicals; lionfish were spotted on the wreck in 2003 | |
| Description: The Keshena is one of the most picturesque dives off of North Carolina. Its generally clear water and instact "big" pieces allows for some great wide angle photography. There is also a wealth of small macro stuff. The wreck is contiguous and can easily be circumnavigated several times during a single dive. A single blade of the a 4 blade propeller sticks up just forward of the stern. The wreck is often covered up with baitfish or big schools of spadefish | |
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| Diver inspecting the two boilers |
The stern fantail lying on starboard side
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| Diver comes around the bow | Closeup of steering quadrant on stern |
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| Divers leaves the bow and comes down the port side of the wreck. |
Remains of battery
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Port side anchor and windlass
on top of the bow |
The rudder and right most prop blade come and go depending on the level of sand
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