Winfield Scott
The Winfield Scott was a steam powered mail ship delivering correspondence and passengers from San Francisco to Panama in 1853 when the captain made a navigation error steaming through the Channel Islands in the fog and struck a rock north of Middle Anacapa Island with no hands lost. National Park Service
Quick Info
| Coordinates | 34.009041, -119.386890 |
| Depth | 5-35 feet |
| Skill Level | Beginner |
| Access Method | Boat |
| Protection Status | Channel Islands National Marine Sanctuary, no take |
Attractions & Wildlife
"Today, the remains of the Winfield Scott lie in generally warm, clear water off the north side of Middle Anacapa. Depths, where the wreckage of the steamer can be seen, range from 5 to 35-feet, and is one of the few shipwreck sites that can be snorkeled. The bottom is mostly rocky with moderate kelp growth and scattered sand patches. For several years after the last El Niño, the kelp was nonexistent in the area, so the structures on the site were easy to find and see. With the return of the kelp beds, it is slightly harder to access, but far more interesting. Kelp bass, sheephead are prominent across the remains of the Winnie, as are large numbers of the California State saltwater fish, garibaldi. Somehow it just seems appropriate to have a large contingent of garibaldi living on the wreck of a Gold Rush steamer.
For the visiting diver the site has some interesting examples of 19th Century technology. The remains of the two side-lever steam engines that powered the ship are scattered across the site. Immense structural pieces such as the paddle-shaft support and one of the paddlewheels hubs and shaft are just amazing. To the northwest of the main site you’ll find the immense spoked pattern of one of the paddlewheels encrusted to the rocky bottom. Nearby, an observant visitor can find the remains of copper-sheeted oak planks that made up the Scott’s hull–a testament to the builder’s skill and the quality materials used to construct the ship a century-and-a-half ago. A dive to the Winfield Scott is like taking a trip back in time to glimpse, for just a moment, the technology of the period, and imagine what it might have been like for travelers of the day.
Because the Winfield Scott lies within the boundary of Channel Islands National Park and Channel Islands National Marine Sanctuary, it is a protected site. Touching or disturbing the site in any way is strictly forbidden, and of course nothing can be removed from the area. Visitors are welcome to come and take pictures, gaze in wonder and consider the hardship of a Channel Island shipwreck a century and a half ago, but please, leave the site as you found it." -CA Diving News
Entry & Access
The clear water and shallow depth make this site accessible even to snorkelers.
Skill Level & Hazards
Occasional current along the outer edge of the site, wash rock NW of site and thick kelp in summer. Although the wreck is fairly settled and does not have an accessible interior, it can still present entanglement hazards. The wreck should not take load, as it may shift and cause injury. Take care in anchoring so as to preserve this fascinating piece of California history.
Notes
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