Multibeam data collected on an underwater wreck found in the Gulf of Mexico.
Search for Shipwrecks
Coast Survey's Automated Wreck and Obstruction Information System (AWOIS) contains information on over 10,000 submerged wrecks and obstructions in the coastal waters of the United States. Information includes latitude and longitude of each feature along with brief historic and descriptive details.
In addition to its use in planning hydrographic surveys, AWOIS is a valuable tool and information source for marine archaeologists and historians, fishermen, divers, salvage operators, and others in the marine community.
Once you download an AWOIS file, you can open that file directly in a mapping application, such as Google Earth or Google Maps. You can then navigate directly to your area of interest and obtain information about individual features. Clicking on any AWOIS item will bring up additional information, such as feature type, position, and history.
AWOIS Limitations:
Additional Resources
National Marine Sanctuaries, Maritime Heritage
Shipwrecks of Thunder Bay, Thunder Bay National Marine Sanctuary
Wisconsin's Great Lakes Shipwrecks, University of Wisconsin Sea Grant/Wisconsin Historical Society
Shipwreck Trail, Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary
Shipwrecks Off Alaska's Coast, Bureau of Ocean Energy Management
Revised: 6/8/2018