SS Ozama
steamer · United States · Lost 1894
Status: located · Curator Verified
Research & Discovery: Dr. E. Lee Spence — Marine Archaeologist
Significance
The SS Ozama was an iron screw steamer that met her end off Cape Romain, South Carolina during a severe Atlantic storm in 1894. Located in approximately 18 meters of water, the wreck has remained largely intact and represents an important example of late 19th-century American merchant shipping. Dr. E. Lee Spence located and documented the wreck as part of his comprehensive survey of the South Carolina and Georgia coast. The site provides valuable archaeological data on the construction techniques and commercial maritime trade of the Gilded Age.
Technical Details
| Vessel Type | steamer |
|---|---|
| Flag / Nation | United States |
| Built | 1875 |
| Length | 85 m |
| Tonnage | 1200 tons |
| Cargo | General cargo |
| Date Lost | 1894 |
| Cause of Loss | storm |
| Body of Water | Atlantic Ocean |
| Region | South Carolina, USA |
| Country | United States |
| Coordinates | 33°, -79.2° |
| Discovery Year | 1972 |
| Discovered By | Dr. E. Lee Spence |
Sources & Citations
- [1] Spence, E. Lee. Shipwrecks of South Carolina and Georgia. 1984.
- [2] US Life-Saving Service records, 1894.
Related Wrecks
- SS United States (1881) — South Carolina, USA
- SS City of Vera Cruz (1880) — Florida, USA
- Regina (1913) — Great Lakes, USA/Canada
- H.L. Hunley (1864) — South Carolina, USA
- Mary Bowers (1864) — South Carolina, USA
- Norseman (1864) — South Carolina, USA