Diosa del Mar
Staysail Schooner · United States · Lost 1990 · Southern California & Catalina
A Vanderbilt-family sailing yacht built in 1898 that ended its long life wrecked on Ship Rock off Catalina Island in 1990.
Become Captain of RecordSee Shipwreck on Map
The Vessel and Her Loss
Launched in 1898 as the staysail yacht Uncas for the Vanderbilt family, the vessel passed through several names and owners over nine decades, sailing as far as Hawaii and winning ocean-racing honors in the 1970s. By 1990 she was cruising as Diosa del Mar when she struck Ship Rock off Catalina Island and broke apart. For a short time her intact wooden hull made her one of Southern California's most photogenic shallow-water wrecks.
Vessel
- 1898
- A.C. Brown and Sons
- Tottenville, New York
- Wood
- 69 ft
- Not established
- 30
- Sail, auxiliary diesel engine
- Originally built for the Vanderbilt family; later privately owned
Loss
- July 30, 1990
- Grounding
- Ship Rock, Catalina Island
- Pacific Ocean, Catalina Channel
- Not established
- Not established
- Not established
- Not established
- Not established
The Wreck Today
- 15-25
- Largely dispersed; little structure remains today
- Not established
- Not established
- Not established
Position
- 33.48° N 118.48° W
- Approximate position
- Ship Rock, Catalina Island, California
Position given for Ship Rock, the reported wreck site.
Evidence
Overall confidence: Documented (78/100)
Present condition of the scattered remains is not documented in detail.
California Wreck Divers (cawreckdivers.org)
Loss date, cause, dimensions, and wreck description.
Build history, former names, and ownership.
