Story perspectives

Nor’easter Exposes Warren Sawyer Shipwreck on Nantucket

By Drooid · Sep 29, 2026, 4:06 PM UTC · How we work

Summary

Archaeologists Uncover Shipwreck

U.S. archaeologists uncovered a 19th-century shipwreck on Nantucket’s south shore during the Sept. 26-27, 2026 nor’easter.
The nor’easter’s 45-55 mph winds, 60-mph gusts, and 15-25-ft seas eroded sand, exposing timbers.
Experts say the timbers likely belong to the Warren Sawyer, which ran aground Dec. 22, 1884.
The schooner carried cotton and scrap iron from New Orleans to Boston.
Surfside lifesavers rescued the Warren Sawyer’s crew.

Summary

Mass officials tag wreck

Massachusetts officials partnered with a nationwide citizen-science program to attach QR codes to exposed shipwrecks for tracking.
State law prohibits removing, damaging, or displacing underwater archaeological resources, and authorities urged visitors to avoid the site.
The Egan Maritime Institute’s exhibits manager will survey the wreck and submit findings to state archaeologists for formal identification.

History

Historical Context

In the 1970s, advances in SCUBA and high-profile finds like the Titanic spurred concern over looting of roughly 3,000 historic wrecks. Responding to that pressure, Congress passed the Abandoned Shipwrecks Act of 1987, which President Ronald Reagan signed on April 29 1988, transferring title of embedded wrecks to the states. The law now guides preservation of sites such as the 1884 Warren Sawyer schooner off Nantucket.

1 of 3

Archaeologists Uncover Shipwreck

U.S. archaeologists uncovered a 19th-century shipwreck on Nantucket’s south shore during the Sept. 26-27, 2026 nor’easter.
The nor’easter’s 45-55 mph winds, 60-mph gusts, and 15-25-ft seas eroded sand, exposing timbers.
Experts say the timbers likely belong to the Warren Sawyer, which ran aground Dec. 22, 1884.
The schooner carried cotton and scrap iron from New Orleans to Boston.
Surfside lifesavers rescued the Warren Sawyer’s crew.

1 / 3