Large piece of century-old shipwreck revealed on Massachusetts beach

IPSWICH – A 114-year-old shipwreck on the North Shore of Massachusetts is visible once again thanks to “high winds and rough seas,” the Trustees of Reservations says.

Erosion on Steep Hill Beach at the Crane Estate in Ipswich caused by recent storms and exceptionally high tides have revealed a 50-foot section of the Ada K. Damon hull. The 84-foot schooner that was a fishing ship and sand hauler went down during the “Great Christmas Snowstorm” on Dec. 26, 1909. 

The crew survived but the wrecked ship was left abandoned. It is sometimes visible but at other times completely buried, depending on the shifting sands of the beach.

Now the Trustees is inviting the public to get a good look at and even measure the wreck through its “Shipwrecks Scholars” program while it’s still visible.

“The coast is always changing, join us for a chance to see these fragile artifacts before they are potentially buried again beneath the sand,” the organization says.

The upcoming program dates are March 16, April 6 and April 15. The cost is $25 for nonmember adults and $10 for nonmember children. Trustees members pay $20 for adults and $8 for kids. Click here for more information.

Gusty winds and rain last weekend also ravaged Salisbury Beach. Residents there say the storm destroyed a sand wall that cost more than $500,000 to build.