From the earliest days of maritime exploration, seamen have harbored a profound apprehension for the perilous shoals of Cape Cod in Massachusetts. This infamous coastline, known for its treacherous waters, has been the site of countless Cape Cod shipwrecks, claiming thousands of vessels and uncounted lives over centuries. This storied stretch of ocean, where the unforgiving forces of nature meet nautical passage, tells a haunting tale of maritime disaster and survival. The history of Cape Cod shipwrecks is deeply woven into the fabric of New England’s past, a testament to both human ingenuity and the ocean’s raw power.
Cape Cod has historically represented a dual challenge and refuge for mariners. All shipping navigating between Boston and New York was forced either into its sheltered bay or onto its perilous shoals. Coupled with the relentless fury of innumerable “nor’easters” and its precarious geographical position, the Cape has witnessed over 3,000 documented shipwrecks in 300 years. The Cape’s distinctive, fist-like forearm extends 25 miles into the Atlantic, with shallow sandbars just hundreds of yards offshore posing the gravest threat. Here, storm-battered ships would ground, swiftly breaking apart under the immense force of raging waves, spilling their fragile contents and occupants into the frigid surf.
In earlier times, the alarm “Ship ashore! All hands perishing!” was a familiar and grim sound during a Cape storm. While townsfolk often gathered on the beach, the tumultuous surf usually rendered rescue attempts impossible, and by the time the storm subsided, there was frequently no one left to save. Yet, if lives could not be preserved, cargo often could. After a wreck, locals would arrive with carts and horses to salvage spoils: wine, coffee, nutmeg, cotton, tobacco, and whatever else the vessel carried. Sometimes paid by the ship’s owners, more often the locals adhered to a philosophy of finders keepers.
Notable Early Cape Cod Shipwrecks
The Sparrow Hawk – 1626
One of the earliest recorded Cape Cod shipwrecks was that of the Sparrow Hawk. Originating from London, England, the vessel was on a six-week voyage to Virginia when it was tragically wrecked. It ran aground off Nauset Harbor in 1626 after a gale propelled it over the bar and into the harbor, near present-day Orleans. At low tide, all aboard managed to reach shore safely. They were met by English-speaking Indigenous people who offered to guide them to Plymouth or deliver a message. Governor William Bradford arrived with repair materials, and the ship was soon prepared for departure. However, another storm struck before it could set sail, sinking the vessel once more, where it remained unseen for over two centuries before it was finally abandoned.
Remarkably, the wreckage resurfaced on May 6, 1863, when shifting sands briefly exposed its remains, revealing it had been burned to the waterline. Its unusual shape drew visitors and two local men to sketch it. Many took fragments as souvenirs before the sands reclaimed it in August. The ship’s ribs have since been excavated and are now preserved at the Pilgrim Hall Museum in Plymouth.
The Whydah Gally – 1717
Another iconic early shipwreck involves the notorious pirate vessel, the Whydah Gally, commanded by Captain Samuel “Black Sam” Bellamy. Commissioned in London in 1715 as a slave cargo ship for the Triangular Trade, the Whydah embarked on its maiden voyage in 1716, collecting nearly 500 enslaved people and supplies from a West African port. It then sailed to the Caribbean to exchange its human cargo for valuable goods like precious metals, sugar, and indigo, destined for England.
On its return journey, the Whydah Gally was intercepted and captured by Captain Bellamy. Fitted with ten additional cannons and manned by 150 of Bellamy’s crew, it became his flagship, terrorizing vessels throughout the Caribbean. After seizing numerous ships, including the Mary Anne with its significant Madeira wine cargo, the Whydah sailed north towards Cape Cod. The pirates, perhaps lulled by their recent captures and wine, were caught unprepared by a ferocious storm near the Cape. Battling 70 mph winds and 30-foot swells, the vessel ran aground on April 28, 1717, off Wellfleet at Marconi Beach. It capsized, sending over 4.5 tons of silver and gold, more than 60 cannons, and 144 lives to the ocean floor. Only two crew members survived, alongside seven others from a sloop captured earlier that day. The vast riches and lives of the crew were lost to the deep.
Upon hearing of the tragedy, colonial governor sent Commander Cyprian Southack to salvage any remaining cargo. Arriving on May 3 via Jerimiah’s Gutter – the last recorded passage through this channel – Southack found the wreckage strewn over four miles of beach, with over 200 men already plundering it. Too late to recover anything of value, he gathered pieces of the wreck, burning them for their iron content.
Of the nine survivors, six were hanged, two forced into piracy were freed, and one Indigenous crewman was sold into slavery. Before its demise, Captain “Black Sam” Bellamy had amassed riches from approximately 53 other vessels, making him the wealthiest and most successful pirate of his era.
Over 260 years later, in 1984, treasure hunter Barry Clifford discovered the wreck spread over a four-mile span along the Cape’s coast, buried under 10–50 feet of sand in depths of 16–30 feet. With the discovery of the ship’s bell in 1985 and a small brass placard in 2013, both bearing the ship’s name and maiden voyage date, the Whydah Gally stands as the only fully authenticated Golden Age pirate shipwreck ever discovered. Its site continues to be a crucial location for underwater archaeology, yielding more than 200,000 retrieved artifacts.
Revolutionary War and 19th-Century Shipwrecks
HMS Somerset – 1778
During the American Revolution, British shipwrecks often provided unexpected aid to the American war effort. In late 1776, the supply ship HMS Friendship grounded on the ocean side of Truro, its cargo of maritime equipment, cannons, and small arms proving invaluable. However, the greatest prize among these Cape Cod shipwrecks was the sixty-four-gun HMS Somerset, a powerful symbol of British oppression.
Launched in 1748, the HMS Somerset played a significant role in the Seven Years’ War (French and Indian War), aiding the British in capturing Louisburg and Quebec. During the American Revolution, her involvement in rescuing British troops after Lexington and Concord, and her bombardment during the Battle of Bunker Hill, influenced critical outcomes. After subsequent military campaigns, an intense storm drove the Somerset onto the shallow Peaked Hill Bars off Provincetown on November 2, 1778, after having been battered by gales in August.
By the time the Somerset wrecked, Cape Codders had suffered greatly from the British blockade, which had virtually shut down commercial fishing and whaling. Locals had resorted to privateering, smuggling, and subsistence farming. The sight of the massive Somerset wrecking on their shores undoubtedly evoked a strong emotional response.
According to Captain George Ourry’s official account, only 21 men were lost. Captain Ourry was marched under guard to Providence, Rhode Island, where he was exchanged for two American officers, while the remaining 400+ officers and crew were escorted to Boston. Locals salvaged a tremendous amount of scarce war material before the state imposed a guard. Eleven 18-pound and five 9-pound cannons, along with powder, were entrusted to Colonel Paul Revere for fortifying Castle Island in Boston Harbor. Severe December storms ultimately broke apart the ship’s remains, moving it closer to shore and burying it under tons of sand in an area known as Dead Man’s Hollow. The aftermath of salvage operations led to months of bitter court proceedings over ownership.
The Somerset’s wreckage has only briefly been exposed three times since 1788—in 1886, 1973, and 2010—by storm currents. It is estimated that only the lower ten percent of the ship remains, buried once again beneath the sand, with some of its large timbers preserved by the National Park Service.
USS Merrimack – 1801?
The USS Merrimack, launched in December 1798 by Newburyport Shipwrights and presented to the Navy, was commanded by Captain Moses Brown. The first Navy ship named for the Merrimack River, she departed Boston on January 3, 1799, for the Windward Islands to protect American merchantmen during the Quasi-War with France (1798-1800). She captured several French vessels, including the privateer sloop Phoenix and the brig Brilliant. After her naval service, she was stripped of equipment and sold in 1801, becoming the merchant vessel Monticello, which subsequently wrecked off Cape Cod at an unknown date.
The Frances – 1872
At Head of the Meadow Beach in North Truro, Massachusetts, the visible remains of the Frances can still be seen at low tide. This vessel sank in a December gale in 1872. Men of the United States Life Saving Service dragged a whaleboat from the bay across the Cape to the outer beach, successfully rescuing all aboard. Sadly, the captain succumbed to exposure several days later and is buried in Truro.
The Whittaker – 1876
On November 20, 1872, Captain Cotton’s coal-laden Whittaker, en route from Hoboken, New Jersey, to Boston, Massachusetts, ran aground on Hedgefence. The crew lightened the vessel by disposing of 20 tons of coal. The ship continued to sail for four more years until, on December 9, 1876, the coal-laden Whittaker struck something in the water and became a total loss, though all crew members were saved. Later that month, Jonathan Cook purchased the wrecked Whittaker, refloated the brig, and had it towed to the Cape Cod Oil Works, where it was repurposed as a hulk at Atwood Wharf.
The Portland – 1898
One of the most tragic Cape Cod shipwrecks in terms of human cost was the steamship Portland, which sank northeast of High Head on November 27, 1898. The Portland was a grand side-wheel paddle steamer, built in 1889 for the Portland Steam Packet Company. Costing $250,000, she provided overnight passenger service between Boston, Massachusetts, and Portland, Maine. Launched on October 14, 1889, she was celebrated as one of New England’s largest and most luxurious paddle steamers, earning a reputation for safety and dependability over nine years.
On November 26, 1898, the Portland departed Boston for Portland, Maine, following her usual route. Unbeknownst to the crew, a powerful blizzard was rapidly moving north. Despite her robust reputation, the Portland was ill-equipped for such extreme conditions. The hurricane-force winds damaged her steering gear, leaving the steamship helpless. She drifted towards Cape Cod and tragically sank off Cape Ann the following day. All 175 passengers and crew perished. Debris and bodies from the disaster washed ashore on the outer Truro beaches; only 16 crew and 35 passenger bodies were ever recovered. Her loss marked New England’s greatest steamship disaster before 1900.
The Paul Palmer – 1913
Among the early 20th-century disasters, the schooner Paul Palmer, a 276-foot vessel, met its fate in 1913. These later shipwrecks continued to highlight the unpredictable and dangerous nature of Cape Cod’s maritime environment, even with advancements in navigation and weather forecasting. Each vessel lost contributed to the rich, albeit somber, tapestry of the Cape’s nautical history.
Conclusion: The Enduring Legacy of Cape Cod Shipwrecks
The waters surrounding Cape Cod remain a testament to centuries of maritime tragedy and human resilience. From the earliest colonial vessels like the Sparrow Hawk to the infamous pirate ship Whydah Gally, and from the critical Revolutionary War losses of HMS Somerset to the devastating modern steamship disaster of the Portland, the history of Cape Cod shipwrecks is both vast and poignant. These tales remind us of the immense power of the sea, the perils faced by those who sail it, and the enduring human spirit in the face of overwhelming odds. Today, the remnants of these unfortunate vessels lie silently beneath the waves, eternal monuments to the legendary, yet often fatal, allure of the Cape Cod coast. They are a constant, somber reminder of a time when the ocean held even greater dominion over human fate, cementing Cape Cod’s reputation as a true graveyard of ships.
