More on the wreck of the Portland

The end for the steamship Portland came after hours of darkness. The ship succumbed to 100 mph winds and 60 foot waves that reached above its twin smokestacks and pounded them into the sea. A century later, a wreck that left no survivors and remained cloaked for decades on the floor of the Atlantic is still tantalizing researchers with questions about its last moments. On Tuesday, scientists completed the first in-depth exploration of the wreck since the Portland's location in the Stellwagen Bank Marine Sanctuary was confirmed last August.

The November 1898 shipwreck killed 192 and remains the worst maritime disaster in New England history, though relatively little is known about it. . .

The destruction of the luxury steamship shook area residents, and it was later referred to as "New England's Titanic." But the secrets of the ship's final moments remained a mystery, despite numerous attempts to unlock them.

Researchers John Fish and Arnold Carr finally discovered the wreck by tracing the trail of debris and bodies to a site between Gloucester and Provincetown, some 460 feet below the surface. A glance at the wreck all but discounted a theory that it went down after a collision - there wasn't enough damage. Its location boosted reports that the Portland hugged Boston's North Shore before attempting a turnaround about 14 miles off Gloucester.

Posted by David on September 17, 2003 10:26 AM