Vamar Shipwreck Site
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Vamar Shipwreck Site | |
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Florida Underwater Archaeological Preserve #9 | |
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Gulf of Mexico, looking in the direction of the Vamar from Mexico Beach | |
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| Nearest city | Mexico Beach, Florida |
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| Coordinates | 29°53′56″N 85°27′48″W / 29.89889°N 85.46333°WCoordinates: 29°53′56″N 85°27′48″W / 29.89889°N 85.46333°W |
| Built | 1919 |
| Governing body | Florida Department of Environmental Protection |
| NRHP Reference # | 06000243[1] |
| FUAP # | 9 |
| Significant dates | |
| Added to NRHP | April 10, 2006 |
| Designated FUAP | 2004 |
The Vamar (originally christened the Kilmarnock) is an English shipwreck (which sank on March 21, 1942) near Mexico Beach, Florida, United States.[2] It is located 3.7 miles offshore from Mexico Beach. It became the ninth Florida Underwater Archaeological Preserve when it was dedicated in 2004.[2] On April 10, 2006, it was added to the U.S. National Register of Historic Places.[3]
Alternate names
The Vamar underwent several name changes in its history:[2]
- 1919 - christened the Kilmarnock
- 1920s - renamed the Chelsea after being sold to a private firm
- 1928 - Rear-Admiral Richard Byrd acquires the ship for his journey to Antarctica. He renames the ship the Eleanor Bolling, in honor of his mother, Eleanor Bolling Byrd
- During the voyage, due to rough seas, the crew nicknamed the ship the "Evermore Rolling". The ship was not designed to carry heavy loads.
- After days of rain, and a load of rain-soaked lumber, the ship's inherent instability and lowered center of gravity, could have led to her demise about 4 miles out to sea making her way to Guantanamo Bay.
- 1933 - the Vamar Shipping Company buys the ship and renames it the Vamar
- 1942 - March 21, after leaving Port St. Joe, Florida, Vamar sunk under suspicious circumstances. When asked the cause by his son, the Captain replied with his protest: he was ordered by the owners to load all the lumber to be shipped. This meant to much cargo above deck which created a high center of gravity. The ship was already known to roll heavily and the cargo made it worse to the point of taking on water once the ship cleared the harbor.
- 2004 - Vamar became Florida's Ninth Florida Underwater Archaeological Preserve and was listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
References
- ↑ "National Register Information System". National Register of Historic Places. National Park Service. 2010-07-09.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 Vamar at Florida's Underwater Archaeological Preserves
- ↑ Weekly List Of Actions Taken On Properties: 4/10/06 Through 4/14/06 at National Register of Historic Places
External links
- Original Vamar Underwater Archaeological Preserve Proposal (pdf or MS Word format) at The Underwater Archaeological Preserves
- Museums in the Sea Vamar
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