AH-WR-0773

Roda

Freighter · United Kingdom · Lost 1908 · Long Island & the New York Approaches

A British freighter carrying copper ore that ran aground off Tobay Beach, Long Island, in a 1908 gale; her mast still breaks the surface today.

Captain of Record

James D. Holzhauer

AHR-1972

See Shipwreck on Map

Artistic recreation based on recorded historical documents. See the documented evidence.

Interpretive Reconstruction, drawn to convey the vessel's era, type and general form. See the documented evidence.

The Vessel and Her Loss

The British freighter Roda, carrying a cargo of copper ore from Huelva, Spain, to New York, ran aground on a sandbar off Tobay Beach, Long Island, during an icy gale on February 13, 1908. No lives were lost. Her remains lie close to shore in very shallow water, and part of a mast has long been visible above the surface, a familiar landmark to Jones Beach-area beachgoers.

Vessel

Built: 1897
Builder: Not established
Yard: England
Material: Steel
Length: 315 ft
Beam: 44 ft
Tonnage: 2516
Propulsion: Steam, single screw
Owners: Not established

Loss

Date: February 13, 1908
Cause: Grounding
Location: Off Tobay Beach, Long Island, New York
Water: Atlantic Ocean, off Long Island
Voyage: Huelva, Spain → New York
Cargo: Copper ore
Aboard: Not established
Lives lost: 0
Master: Not established

The Wreck Today

Depth: 18-20
Condition: Debris field including bow, stern, and boiler; a mast reportedly still breaks the surface at low tide near Tobay Beach
Orientation: Not established
Discovered: Not established
Protection: Not established

Position

Coordinates: 40.61° N 73.45° W
Accuracy: General area only
Nearest: Tobay Beach, Long Island, New York
Region: Long Island & the New York Approaches

General area only: coordinate of Tobay Beach from the USGS Geographic Names Information System, marking the named place of loss recorded for this vessel, not a surveyed wreck position.

Evidence

Overall confidence: Partially documented (68/100)

Her builder and owner are not established in the sources reviewed.

Historical Society of the Massapequas, via Patch.com local history column
Loss date, route, cargo, grounding location, ongoing surface visibility of the wreck.
njscuba.net dive site directory
Build year, dimensions, tonnage, depth, wreck condition.
USGS Geographic Names Information System (via TopoQuest) — Tobay Beach
coordinate of the named place of loss (off Tobay Beach)