(45 fsw) Known by locals as "The Tower," the Chesapeake Light Tower is an abandoned offshore lighthouse marking the entrance to the Chesapeake Bay. The structure, consisting of 4 huge legs extending to the seabed, provides a habitat for fish to frequent and oysters and mussels to grow on. It’s an iconic sight for all who enter and exit the bay.

(60 fsw) The Santore and nearby Tiger are two wrecks that have been heavily wire-dragged to reduce the hazard to shipping traffic. Strewn debris has formed a reef where fish and other creatures can be found.

The Santore was a 7,117 ton bulk cargo carrier sunk after striking a mine laid by the U-701 on June 17, 1942. The starboard gunwale was awash after sinking and subsequently the wreck was reduced to an enormous pile of debris.

For photos, see the gallery.

(60 fsw) The Tiger was a 5,992 ton tanker sunk after being torpedoed by the U-754 on April 1, 1942. However, there is very little that remains recognizable as a ship. As an inshore site, the visibility can be lower. There is plenty of structure here though, and one spot where there is a parachute hung up in the wreckage.

(60 fsw) 260 ton Maryland Pilot Boat sunk after colliding with the British freighter Levernbank on December 1, 1938 just inside the entrance to the Chesapeake Bay. Prior to being a Pilot Boat, the William D. Sanner was the luxury yacht Carmina. Many interesting artifacts have been recovered including the helm, two telegraphs and numerous portholes.

(60 fsw) An intact clam boat that sank during the 1970s. This is a smaller and relatively infrequently dived site that harbors plenty of marine life.

(70 fsw) The 4A dry dock is an old caisson gate used to seal water out of a dock for shipbuilding and repair. This gate is no longer sealing anything, and its steel structure is now home to many fish and other creatures. It’s an interesting dive with some other structures nearby within a short swim.

(75 fsw) Smaller site where a fishing trawler was sunk in high seas in 1974. The wreck is frequently covered in baitfish and schools of larger predatory species can be seen. The wreck is largely intact and houses sea bass, tautog, and eels. Great site for photography given its tall structure.

(80 fsw) The Consols was a steam-powered freighter built in Sunderland, England in 1898. In February 1912, the Consols was carrying cargo from Galveston, Texas to Hamburg, and was off the coast of South Carolina when cotton in the forward cargo hold caught fire. The crew attempted to fight the fire while other ships came to its aid. Twenty hours after the fire began, the Consols slipped beneath the waves, twelve miles off of Currituck beach just south of the Virginia-Carolina border.

The wreck lies upside down with much of its structure collapsed and buried in the sand. The stern and propeller are intact and rise 20-some feet off the bottom. The propeller shaft runs through the stern where the hull has cleared and made a swim through. The engine and boilers are exposed amidships. The forward section is mostly broken down, but the bow is discernible. Verification of identity for this ship remains, as no artifacts positively identifying the wreck have been collected.

(85 fsw) A wreck of unknown origin nicknamed the “Brass Spike” because of the brass pins used to hold the wooden structure together. Little has been discovered about this wreck since it was found in 1994, other than that it’s made of wood, and it’s old.

(90 fsw) The CB is an 86 ft fishing trawler that sunk on Oct. 7th, 2000. The Coast Guard air lifted 5 crewman in stormy weather 33 miles off our coast here, while Capt, Billy Haver remained on his vessel along with one crewman in an effort to save it from sinking. The Coast Guard returned to the site after dropping off the 5 crewman and refueling, to find the vessel had sunk and only the crewman could be found. The Capt. had gone down with his ship trapped in the Cabin. Commercial divers recovered his body Oct 12th, 2000. The wreck sits in 95ft of water on its keel 33 miles NNE off Rudee Inlet. The mast and rigging used to rise to 46ft, but not much is recognizable after years of being battered by the elements. The Carolina Breeze is now a tangle of masts, wreckage, and sea life. This site holds a huge number of sea bass, flounder, and tautog and is not visited frequently.

(90 fsw) A 7,140 ton tanker torpedoed by the U-130 on January 27, 1942 and broken into at least two sections. The wreck provides a habitat for lobster and flounder. Wreckage has been spread out in the vicinity.

(100 fsw) The Kurn sits in two pieces separated by about 50 yards. The bow section is upside-down, while the stern is right-side up. In the middle of each piece, the wreckage breaks down and makes holes. This wreck holds a ton of sea bass. There is a cable connecting the two pieces that can be used as a guide to swim between them.

(105 fsw) 6,369 ton freighter sunk on March 27, 1943 after colliding with SS Cape Henlopen. The wreck lies on it's port side. The bow and stern are recognizably intact, the amidships section is more broken down. The superstructure is scattered in the sand.

(105 fsw) The John Morgan went down on its maiden voyage on June 1, 1943 with a full cargo hold containing lend-lease cargo for WWII, including trucks, motorcycles, and Valentine tanks. The visibility is hit-or-miss and the debris field is large. A highly recommended site even by those who have been to it frequently.

(120 fsw) A 320 ton USCG Cutter that sank after a collision near Smith Point, VA, on October 20, 1978. The Cuyahoga was raised and later sunk offshore as an artificial reef. The wreck is upright, intact, and interesting to explore.

(115 fsw) 3,531 ton four masted steam schooner sunk after colliding with the British steamer Benison on May 6, 1888. The Eureka was en route from New York to New Orleans with a cargo of general merchandise. Some of the artifacts recovered include porcelain dolls, miniature sets of china, numerous types of bottles, steam gauges, deadeyes, portholes, a small bell, a silver lantern, a gold pocket watch, and an ornate capstan cover.

(130 fsw) Massive cargo ship that sank in 1983 in a storm, prompting investigations into inspection and safety of similar vessels. The midbody and bow are broken off and located a little further away from the stern. Very large site with lots left to explore.

(140 fsw) No artifacts have been recovered to prove the identity of this wreck . The site is in 139 fsw and offers a diver a chance to be the one to solve its history. It is not visited often due to its location far from shore. The wreck is quite large and the bottom is cold. The hull rests upside down and the most recognizable piece is the stern. The prop has been removed and the shaft is exposed.

(170 fsw) 7,174 ton freighter sunk in 160' after being torpedoed by the U-108 on February 8, 1942. The hull is basically upright, the stern is listing to port. The engine and boilers are most impressive. The bridge is upside down just off of the port side. The helm, telegraph, numerous portholes, and many other artifacts have been recovered.

(190 fsw) 2,847 ton freighter sunk on April 16, 1960 after it's cargo of scrape iron shifted while en route from New York to Newport News, Va. The wreck is upright, intact, and visually spectacular. There are three levels of superstructure amidships. The navigation bridge rises to 140 fsw. The engine room is located in the stern and is now accessible through the skylight, which collapsed sometime during the winter of 1994/1995.

(230 fsw) This captured German sub was sunk as part of the Billy Mitchell Fleet on June 22, 1921 and now sits in 230 fsw. An interesting dive with potentially good visibility for the technical diver. The wreck is very much intact.

(250 fsw) A 5,152 ton freighter originally ordered for the war effort, built in 1919, and resold several times before being sold to a Brazilian company in 1940. The Buarque sunk after being torpedoed by the German U-432 on February 15, 1942 while en route from Rio de Janiero to New York. This wreck has only been dived a few times and begs further exploration.