Shipwrecks – Lofthus – Palm Beach County – Wreck Dive
26°33′46″N 80°02′18″W
Lofthus Underwater Archaeological Preserve
Boynton Beach, Palm Beach County, Florida, USA
Shipwreck Lofthus Snippet
- Depth: 20 Feet
- Relief: 6 Feet
- Difficulty: Snorkel
On February 4, 1898, the Lofthus wrecked in a storm en route to Buenos Aires, Argentina from Pensacola, Florida.
- Date Sunk: February 4, 1898. The Lofthus wrecked in a storm.
- Size: 222-foot iron-hulled vessel. Scattered across an area approximately 290 feet long by 50 feet wide
- Location access: The wreck of the Lofthus is located approximately three-quarters of a mile north of the Boynton Inlet and 175 yards offshore from Manalapan, Florida.
- Status: On January 6, 2004, it was added to the U.S. National Register of Historic Places and was officially designated as the eighth Florida Underwater Archaeological Preserve.
- Marine Life: Native marine flora and fauna, including the Caribbean spiny lobster, grunts, jacks, porcupine fish, porkfish, snapper, stingrays, and wrasse.
The Lofthus is a Norwegian shipwreck near Boynton Beach, Florida, United States. Built in 1868 in Sunderland, England by T.R. Oswald, the 222-foot iron-hulled vessel was originally christened Cashmere and rigged as a three masted barque. She was painted with false gunports to ward off Sumatran and Javanese pirates.
We are very excited to get back on the water and start filming some more amazing underwater videos. Both by Underwater Drone and by jumping in and diving down with a camera. South Florida and the East Coast from Martin County all the way down to the Florida Keys have great opportunities to share Coral Reefs, Artificial Reefs, and Shipwrecks. Some are very easy to access, especially those near shore like the Lofthus can even be reached by paddle board or kayak. Subscribe to our Coral Heads YouTube Channel to see our newest videos as they are released. One great feature of this location is we are able to also use our waterproof drones and quadcopters to record aerial footage from above as well. While I am writing this, I see the sky is clearing, so it’s time for me to go jump in and click record on another shipwreck I have found. While I am doing that, it’s your turn to jump all in and share with us your experience, with this location, and many more on our Coral Heads Community Forum!
Lofthus – Shipwrecks – Palm Beach County – Wreck Dive
The Lofthus (also known as the Cashmere) is a Norwegian shipwreck (which sank in 1898) near Boynton Beach, Florida, United States. Built in 1868 in Sunderland, England by T.R. Oswald, the 222-foot iron-hulled vessel was originally christened Cashmere and rigged as a three masted barque. She was painted with false gunports to ward off Sumatran and Javanese pirates. After a career in the East Indian trade Cashmere was sold to a Norwegian firm, renamed Lofthus, and used in the American trade. On February 4, 1898, the Lofthus wrecked in a storm en route to Buenos Aires, Argentina from Pensacola, Florida. The crew of 16 men, as well as the ship’s cat and dog were rescued by the passing vessel Three Friends, which was smuggling guns to Cuba. The ship, however, was declared a loss as it could not be removed from the shallow reef. The cargo, primarily lumber, was salvaged and brought ashore by locals and reportedly used to build homes in the Boynton Beach area.
The wreck of the Lofthus is located approximately three-quarters of a mile north of the Boynton Inlet and 175 yards offshore from Manalapan. According to the National Park Service, the remnants of the ship rest in 15 to 20 feet of water, with “wreckage rising as much as six feet off the sea floor depending on sand movement.” This often means large sections of the wreck may be entirely covered or completely exposed contingent on waves, currents, and storm conditions. After salvagers dynamited the hull, the wreck site became scattered across an area approximately 290 feet long by 50 feet wide, with the bow, midships, and stern separated into three distinct areas. The wreck is also now home to a number of native marine flora and fauna, including the Caribbean spiny lobster, grunts, jacks, porcupine fish, porkfish, snapper, stingrays, and wrasse.
On January 6, 2004, it was added to the U.S. National Register of Historic Places and was officially designated as the eighth Florida Underwater Archaeological Preserve (and Palm Beach County’s first) during a ceremony at Boynton Beach Intracoastal Park. During the ceremony, former Historical Society of Palm Beach County president, Harvey Oyer, presented a brief history of the ship and the wreck. According to the historical society, Oyer’s great-great grandparents were “among the first to board the grounded ship and help salvage its cargo before it sank.” Wikipedia
Lofthus Shipwreck Coordinates 26°33′46″N 80°02′18″W
Boynton Beach, Palm Beach County, Florida, USA
Wreck #133 on NOAA chart 11466
Our Experience at Lofthus in Palm Beach County
Over the past 30 years I have snorkeled and fished for bait over the Lofthus. Not knowing the history of the ship while spending so much time in and around it now disappoints me. There is so much more I could have looked for, especially when I first started snorkeling there. It also would have been a place I could have dived more, had I known. It has always been one of the first places I would go to in the early mornings to find bait, either on a rod or cast net. NOTE: Nothing can be taken from the shipwreck now because it became Florida’s eighth Underwater Archaeological Preserve and was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 2004. We need to get some more drone video of the Lofthus, maybe find our other drone there as well, oops…
Have a Good Morning,
Mark Laymon
Video and Photos of the Lofthus Shipwreck
Underwater Drone / Diver / Quadcopter – Aerial / Action Camera
Underwater Drone / Diver / Quadcopter – Aerial / Action Camera
More resources of Shipwreck Lofthus
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References: All data collected. Wiki / Website / Blog / Newspaper / Video-YouTube / Podcast
As with all other historical or archaeological sites on public uplands or submerged bottomlands, Lofthus is protected by Florida laws forbidding unauthorized disturbance, excavation, or removal of artifacts. Please help keep the site intact for others by not disturbing or harvesting marine life. To avoid anchor loss or damage to the shipwreck, please anchor in the sand, and remember to display a “diver down” flag.
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