Cassimir is a boat accessible salt water dive site, located in Wrightsville Beach, NC. This dive site has an average rating of 3.75 out of 5 from 8 scuba divers. The maximum depth is 111-120ft/34-37m. The average visibility is 71-80ft/22-24m.
The Cassimir is a 390 ft long tanker which is about 40 miles east of Masonboro inlet. It was sunk on February 26, 1942 as a result of a collision with the freighter Lara.
The Cassimir is basically in two pieces on the bottom. A large portion of the bow is positioned at a 45 degree angle upward. You will find a nice variety of marine life on this wreck. Visibility varies buy on good days it can be around 100 ft. The maximum depth for this dive is 115 feet. It is an excellent dive.
Name: CASSIMER
Type: Tanker later converted
to General Cargo
Built: 1920 by American Shipbuilding
Corporation, Hog Island, Pennsylvania
Owner: Cuba Distilling Company, Inc.
Home Port: Baltimore, MD
Size (ft.): 401-0 x 54-2 x 24-5
Tonnage: 5030 gross tons
Propulsion: Single screw steam turbine/
speed 11.5 knts
Date Sunk: 2/26/42
Cause: Collision with SS
Lara Location Cape Lookout, NC
GPS: N33° 57.938’/W77° 01.829’
Cassimer (
Gentile, Moore)
SHIP HISTORY : (
Sources: Jordan, Gentile, Moore, 28 ) The
Cassimer was built as part of a "rapid shipbuilding" program motivated by the shipping needs during World War I. It was built at an emergency shipyard at Hog Island near Philadelphia, Pennsylvania., for the US Shipping Board. The Hog Island yard was the first shipyard built for the mass production of ships and included 50 building "ways". The Hog Island yard was abandoned in 1921 and was later developed as the current site of the Philadelphia International Airport. (Hog Island was also the source for the now popular "hoagie sandwich")
Like the other ships built at Hog Island, the
Cassimer was not finished in time for use during World War I. It was soon sold and converted to a general cargo ship by the Curtis Bay Copper and Iron Works in Curtis Bay, Maryland.
On the night of February 26, 1942, the
Cassimer came around Frying Pan Shoals, enroute from Santiago, Cuba, to Baltimore, Maryland with a cargo of molasses. The night was foggy, but due to the heavy u-boat reports in the area, the
Cassimer was traveling a full speed. The bow of the SS
Lara came out of no where and sliced into the
Cassimer. It was quickly apparent that the
Cassimer was doomed and Captain J.A. Bodman gave the order to abandon ship. Lifeboats were launched and 32 members of the crew were to be later rescued by the
Lara, although one, Able-Bodied Seaman Engle Heyliger (age 41) was to soon die from his injuries. In total, 5 crew members were killed in the collision. The survivors were taken to Charleston, SC by the
Lara.
DIVING NOTES: Diving Depths: 90-115 ft.
Current: slight to moderate
Visibility: Usually in excess in 60 feet; usually better in the summer
Summer Temperature: low 80s in summer
Points of Interest: Intact bow and stern with high relief; 3 partially buried square boilers, engine; rudder and propeller; port and starboard anchors and anchor windlass;
Fish/Animal Life: The usually NC marine animals inhabit this wreck - amberjacks, spadefish, baitfish and barracudas. Recently, there have been clouds of baitfish at the stern end of the wreck. The
Cassimi r also seems to be inhabited with many species which inhabit more tropical waters - angelfish, lobster, african pampano, hogfish, etc.
Description: