SS Palo Alto
Concrete Tanker · United States · Lost 1930 · San Francisco & the Northern California Coast
A First World War concrete tanker sunk in place off a California beach as an amusement ship, now breaking apart in the surf.
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The Vessel and Her Loss
The Palo Alto was one of a small number of concrete steamships built at the end of the First World War. In 1930 she was towed to Seacliff, sunk in place at the end of a pier and fitted out as a floating amusement resort. The venture soon failed, and the abandoned hull has been broken apart by decades of storms. Her remains are part of Seacliff State Beach.
Vessel
- 1919
- Not established
- Not established
- Concrete
- Not established
- Not established
- Not established
- Steam
- Not established
Loss
- January 1, 1930
- Intentional sinking
- Seacliff State Beach, Aptos, California
- Monterey Bay, Pacific Ocean
- Not established
- Not established
- Not established
- Not established
- Not established
The Wreck Today
- Not established
- Concrete hull broken into sections in the surf.
- Not established
- Not established
- Within Seacliff State Beach, California State Parks.
Position
- 36.970° N 121.910° W
- Surveyed position
- Aptos, California
The hull lies at the end of the Seacliff pier and is visible from shore.
Evidence
Overall confidence: Documented (85/100)
The exact date of the grounding within 1930 is recorded only approximately here.
California State Parks, Seacliff State Beach
History, grounding, present condition.
Published histories of the concrete ship programme
Construction and design context.
