USS Schurz

The USS Schurz is a WWI-era German gunboat surrendered to the US Navy and later sunk in a 1918 collision — making it one of the oldest wrecks in the Graveyard of the Atlantic still recognizable as a ship. She rests upright in 115 feet of water off Morehead City, her hull heavily encrusted with corals, sea fans, and sponges after more than a century on the bottom. Sand tiger sharks patrol the superstructure in numbers throughout summer, joined by amberjacks and large schools of spadefish circling the bow. The wreck is intact enough to reward a full circumnavigation, and penetration is possible through open holds for divers with appropriate training. Strong Gulf Stream-influenced currents are the norm — expect drift on most dives.