High winds and heavy seas from a nor'easter uncovered wooden ship remains on a Nantucket beach on Saturday, September 26, 2026. The debris, consisting of wooden beams and iron fastenings jutting out of the sand in the shape of a hull, was discovered at Point of Breakers on the island's south shore. Several sources reported that the fragments likely belong to the Warren Sawyer, a wooden schooner that ran aground more than 140 years ago.
The discovery occurred after the storm caused coastal erosion near Miacomet Beach. Jason Graziadei, editor-in-chief of the Nantucket Current, recorded video of the site after receiving a tip from resident David DeHart. The wreckage appeared in the same location where similar ship fragments were inspected by state researchers in late 2022 and early 2023.
The Warren Sawyer was a vessel traveling from New Orleans to Boston with a load of 1,115 bales of cotton and 28 tons of scrap iron. On the night of December 22, 1884, gale-force winds blew the ship off course, causing it to strike land around 11 p.m. While the ship was destroyed by the surf, all crew members were rescued by local lifesavers using a breeches buoy—a rope-based rescue device—to bring them safely to shore by the following morning.
The uncovering of these remains provides a physical link to the island's history as a site of more than 700 shipwrecks during the 19th century. The Massachusetts Board of Underwater Archaeological Resources, which previously investigated findings at this site in 2022 and 2023, is responsible for identifying such submerged cultural resources. While the board previously determined earlier findings were "most likely" the Warren Sawyer, Jascin N. Leonardo Finger of the Maria Mitchell Association stated that more investigation is necessary to confirm the current match.
The remains are located in an area that is typically covered by sand and, according to Graziadei, was used by vehicles driving on the beach as recently as the summer of 2026. The sudden appearance of the hull serves as a reminder of how quickly storm surges and nor'easters can alter the shoreline, shifting sand to reveal or bury 140-year-old structures.
The discovery highlights how state agencies and local historical associations, such as the Egan Maritime Institute and the Nantucket Historical Association, collaborate to document transient archaeological finds. Because the remains are subject to tide and weather, they may be reburied quickly, as occurred following the 2022 discovery. No specific dates for a new state inspection have been reported, and the site remains subject to the natural movement of the Atlantic coastline.