After loading coal for Boston, Massachusetts, the steamer Seaconnet departed Norfolk, Virginia. Nearing New England waters a gale began to blow. For two days high winds heavy seas and torrential rain hammered the five-year-old steamer which soon developed a minor leak.
    At 4AM, April 29^th, about a mile south of the Vineyard Sound Lightship, the minor leak became serious. Pounding seas opened the steamer's seams and water was pouring in. As his ship began to list to starboard Captain Miller ordered the water ballast tanks and bilges pumped overboard. But the steamer continued to settle and list even greater. In an attempt to stay the rising flood Miller ordered all hands to man the pumps and stoke the boilers.
    By 6AM the men in the boiler room were working in water up to their waists, the pumps could not handle the inflow of water. About this time Miller dispatched distress signals, which were received by the steamer City of Rome, about 15 miles away, and the Revenue Cutter Acushnet, nearby. So quickly did Seaconnet sink that neither vessel arrived in time to report more than floating wreckage.
    At 6:15 Captain Miller ordered a lifeboat lowered over the starboard side. Passengers, Mr. and Mrs. Hudgins were put aboard along with five crewmen to man the boat. Shortly after casting free, the boat was carried away by the storm but managed to row to the nearby Lightship. Within 20 minutes seas were sweeping Seaconnets decks and the smokestack was nearly parallel with the water's surface. Realizing his vessel was doomed Captain Miller ordered all hands on deck. There wasn't a minute to spare, at any moment the ship could capsize trapping his men below decks. The order was given for all hands to don life jackets and abandon ship as the smokestack dipped below the waves and began taking on water. Tense moments followed the jamming of the second lifeboat in its launching apparatus. It was quickly cut free only to capsize in the water, but eventually right itself.
    Captain Miller and Quartermaster John "Santy" Santiago held the bridge until the very end. "As the lifeboat turned over I ordered him to jump," Miller said. "Then I jumped myself. I grabbed a bit of wreckage and hung on looking for Santy. I saw him clinging to the ship's bottom as she started to go down. I tried to cry out to him, but my voice was smothered by the waves…the Seaconnet went down and I saw him no more"
    There's some confusion as to how many lifeboats were involved in the rescue. One source reported that a single boat, with 23 people aboard, including one woman, reached the Vineyard Sound Lightship. Another source implies that the boat which first capsized was also used. Still another reported that one of the boats was picked up on Naushon Island, May 3^rd.
    In all 7 men were lost, many pulled to their doom by the suction of their sinking ship.

    Depth in feet:   maximum - 102   minimum - 75
Visibility in feet:     average -

    In about 100 feet of water the Seaconnet came to rest upside down but otherwise intact. The engine room is accessible through openings created where hull plates have fallen away.
    Divers reported visibility to be poor necessitating the use of wreck reels to get back to the anchor line.

Constructed:    year - 1918   where - Camden, New Jersey.
                      builder - New York S. B. Co.
Construction details: 1 Deck; 7 Bulkheads; Water Ballast.
Crew: 30 ;     Master: Captain Daniel J. Miller Jr.
Owners: C.H. Sprague & Son.
Home or Hailing Port: Boston, Massachusetts.
Former Name(s) and date(s): Tuckahoe (1918).
Official number: 13349      Country: U.S.A.
Other Comments: The collier was built in record time for the war effort, 26 days; Originally owned by the United States Shipping Board; Engine & Boilers built by New York S. B. Co.

New York Maritime Register, May 9, 1923:     May 3^rd, " A lifeboat from the steamer Seaconnet was picked up on shore of Naushon Island today; no wreckage drifted ashore at Cuttyhunk. The bodies of five of the seven lost when the Seaconnet foundered were picked up and four of them were landed at New Bedford by the steamer Acushnet. Search was made to locate the wreck but without success."

   These files are under construction. Any information, specifically dive site related, would be greatfully appreciated.  

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