Camilla Jessen
136-year-old shipwreck revealed after winter storms.
A stretch of coastline reshaped by winter storms has revealed something not seen for generations.
Along the Jersey Shore in New Jersey, powerful winter storms dramatically altered the dunes this season. As sand was torn away, the remains of a wooden ship surfaced in plain sight.
The wreck lay hidden for nearly 140 years. Exposed timbers now sit among the dunes, offering a striking reminder of how quickly coastlines can change.
Experts say such discoveries are uncommon, but not impossible, after periods of extreme weather.
A ship from 1890
The vessel has been identified as the Lawrence N. McKenzie, a wooden ship that sank in 1890 while sailing from Puerto Rico to New York with a cargo of oranges.
All eight crew members survived the sinking, according to historical records. The ship itself, however, was swallowed by sand soon after going down.
Over time, meters of sand buried the wreck completely, removing it from sight for more than a century.
Preserved underground
Specialists at Island Beach State Park explained that the ship was covered through aeolian transport, a process where wind gradually blows sand over objects.
Being sealed beneath sand created an oxygen-poor environment. Without oxygen, the bacteria and organisms that normally break down wood cannot survive.
As a result, the wooden frame remained largely preserved despite its age, emerging in unexpectedly good condition.
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According to Island Beach State Park, the wreck only became visible after two strong winter storms in January 2026 shifted enough sand to uncover it.
“Beach erosion in winter is completely natural. Every year waves and storms change the coastline, but this winter has given us a rare sight,” the park wrote in a Facebook post.
The park added that climate change could intensify these processes, as rising sea levels and stronger storms move increasing amounts of sand.
Similar discoveries have followed extreme weather elsewhere. In Australia, storms in 2024 revealed an old schooner, while a typhoon in Vietnam exposed a shipwreck in 2025.
Sources: Island Beach State Park Facebook, historical maritime records
