Eastern Rig Dragger Joffre Shipwreck in the Stellwagen Bank Sanctuary

Archaeologists have identified the remains of the eastern rig dragger Joffre in over 300 feet of water off Gloucester, MA in the Stellwagen Bank National Marine Sanctuary. Joffres extant remains consisted of its lower hull structure, propulsion components, vessel hardware, and fishing gear. Designed by renowned naval architect Thomas F. McManus, Arthur D. Story of Essex, MA launched the auxiliary fishing schooner Joffre in 1918. Initially, Joffre entered the mackerel seine fishery, but within a year, its owners set the schooner after groundfish. During the 1920s, Joffres crew landed record catches of halibut. After dory trawling for haddock and halibut for nearly twenty years, Joffres new captain, Simon Theriault, convertedthe 105-foot long vessel into an eastern rig dragger to pursue Acadian Redfish, a rapidly developing fishery. Joffres working life spans the mechanization of New Englands fisheries and exemplifies the transition from sail to diesel power. During its 29 year career it landed over 15 million pounds of fish. After a routine ten-day fishing trip to Nova Scotias offshore banks, the Joffres engine caught fire as it was returning to Gloucester, MA on the evening of 9 August 1947. The fire quickly engulfed the wheelhouse and engine spaces forcing the ten-man crew to abandon ship into dories without gathering their personal effects. Despite efforts to quench the blaze and tow the vessel to port, the Joffre sank the next morning.



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Short Column CIVIL ENGINEERING COURSE Civil Engineering Review