M.A.R.C.

The Lofthus Wreck Site:

A Rare Iron Barc

Click HERE to watch the story on Channel 5 News

Click HERE to watch highlights of the underwater video

The opportunity to study an iron shipwreck off present day Manalapan, Florida was presented. The Marine Archaeological Research and Conservation Reporting team (MARC) elected to undertake a pre-disturbance study of the site and conduct research towards identification of the wreck and it’s  nomination as Florida’s Eighth Underwater Archaeological Preserve.  Research in local archives as well as overseas sources revealed some extremely interesting documents such as maps, eyewitness accountings, descriptions and other useful information.  These include an actual photo of the vessel taken immediately after the shipwreck event.  Analysis of this data strongly indicated the study area to be the wreck of the Norwegian bark Lofthus.

Actual photo of Lofthus as she was aground off Manalapan.

Section of intact stingers and deck beams from amid ship at Lofthus site.

Orange Grove House of Refuge, part of the system which became the US Coast Guard.

Three of the original barefoot mailmen outsine the Pierce homestead in Manalapan.

The site is of historical significance as it is a wreck of a vessel that was among the last of the wind driven ships of commerce.  The witness, Mrs. Lillie Pierce-Voss, was the first reported “white person” born in Florida between Jupiter and Miami at the Orange Grove House of Refuge, a historic landmark.  The Pierce home itself was a routine stop of the famous Barefoot Mailman.  A very rare photo of all three barefoot mailmen standing in front of the Pierce home (aside the witnesses to this shipwreck event) has been obtained.  

A first person, hand written narrative of the events surrounding the Lofthus shipwreck was completed by Mrs. Lillie Pierce-Voss who witnessed both events.  This detailed narrative was obtained and provides a rare glimpse into the effect of a shipwreck event on a remote coastal community in Florida in the 1890’s.

                                          Landmarks & Location:

The Lofthus is located approximately 3/4 of a mile north of Boynton Beach and 175 yards off-shore of Manalapan. It rests in 15-20 feet of water, with wreckage rising as much as six feet off the sea floor depending on sand movement. The shipwreck is located within a Florida Underwater Archaeological Preserve, and a laminated underwater guide is available from local dive shops. The preserve is open to the public year round, free of charge. To avoid anchor loss or damage to the shipwreck, please anchor in the sand.

LOFTHUS SITE PLAN:

© Copyright 2006 Marine Archaeological Research & Conservation Inc.

Anchor Photo and Mechanical Drawings:

Anchor Relocation Photo Sequence: The MARC team located the vessel's anchor some distance from the main site.  As part of the UAP dedication, and for local diver enjoyment, the MARC team was asked by the Florida Division of Historical Resources to move the anchor closer to the site to better integrate it with the planned Underwater Archaeological Preserve.  The photo sequence bellow documents the process.  Full video is available for review.
View of anchor as exposed by hurricanes - only the stem & ring exposed	Team of MARC divers attaching lift bags in preparation for anchor relocation	Lift bags taking a strain as single diver checks for movement
Successful lift - Required 2 X 2000 Lb lift bags & assistance from R/V Seahorse with tow line	View right after successful lift. Note sand still draining off flukes	Another view right after successful lift showing towline to vessel Sea Horse

Transporting by tow to new location at center of Lofthus wreck site	Divers assist positioning of anchor as lift bags are slowly deflated easing anchor downward	Anchor being lowered onto mid section frames of wreck

Historical Perspective:

The Lofthus shipwreck is one of the few remaining examples of iron-hulled sailing vessels that plied the waters of Florida, and the world, in the late 19th century. Originally named the Cashmere, the vessel was built in Sunderland, England, by T.R. Oswald and launched on October 5, 1868. Owned by the Liverpool Shipping Company and managed by H. Fernie & Sons, the Cashmere was intended to travel the globe; false gunports were painted along her sides to deter Sumatran and Javanese pirates. Constructed of riveted iron, the barque measured 222 feet in length, 36.7 feet in beam and had a depth of hold of 22.7 feet. The ship was rated at 1,277 gross tons with two decks and one cemented bulkhead. In 1897, Cashmere was sold to a Norwegian named Henschien, renamed Lofthus, and transferred to the American trade.

On February 4, 1898, while en route from Pensacola to Buenos Aires with a cargo of lumber, Lofthus wrecked on the east coast of Florida. The local sea-going tug Three Friends (which usually was engaged in running guns to Cuba) attempted to assist the stranded barque, which was high on the beach and quickly being pounded to pieces by waves. The crew of 16 men was saved but the vessel was a total loss. While stranded on the beach, Lofthus' Captain Fromberg, traveling with his family, entertained local residents and gave the ship's dog and cat to one family. After being stripped of all useable items, the wreck was sold along with 800,000 feet of lumber stowed in the hold for $1,000. In September 1898, the hull, which was not nearly as valuable as the cargo, was dynamited so that the lumber could be salvaged.

The blasting of the hull produced a scattered wreck site approximately 290 feet long by 50 feet wide, with three main areas of wreckage. The ship's bow is at the north end of the site and includes deck beams and hull elements. Visible in the midships area are deck beams and deck plates together with fasteners, hanging knees and a worm gear (possibly associated with the vessel's steering mechanism or with a deck-mounted donkey engine). Toward the stern, a section of iron mast as well as additional pieces of decking and beams protrude from the sand. The Lofthus has stabilized in the marine environment and can, through future archeological investigation, provide additional information about late 19th-century merchant ships, the combination of metal hulls and sail propulsion in sea-going vessels and coastal maritime commerce and transportation.

Some Text Courtesy of the  National Parks Service.

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