GPS Coordinates to Horsfall Beach: 43.45361, -124.27611
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EXPLORE > SECRETS OF SHIPWRECKS
On March 1, 1929, the merchant vessel Sujameco was steaming for Coos Bay from San Francisco. Captain John F. Carlson reported he was approximately 50 miles (80 km) from the bay and all seemed well. But for the captain and his crew, the night was destined to be anything but routine! Whether due to error, thick fog or incompetence, the Sujameco was dangerously close to shore. Urgent warnings to adjust course where radioed to the captain — but by the time they arrived it was already too late. The Sujameco had steamed into shallow water where it was impossible for the large ship to maneuver. Almost immediately, the relentless forces of nature took over. The waves seized the Sujameco’s hull, spun her around 180-degrees and forced her onto the sand of the nearby beach where she stuck fast. For weeks, the crew of the Sujameco struggled to free the vessel until it was finally declared a complete loss and abandoned. The ship remained largely intact for the next decade until the urgent need for metal during World War II saw it salvaged right down to the sand. Today, the Sujameco’s eerie iron skeleton can be seen from Horsfall Beach, with the best views occurring at low tide. Can you find the remnant of this famous shipwreck? Related Features: Lifesaving Services on the Oregon Coast |