Discover the Mystery Behind the Gwendoline Steers Wreck

Edward A.T. Carr, director of maritime services for the Town of Huntington, will give an encore presentation of the Mystery Behind the Gendoline Steers Wreck Wednesday at the Northport Library at 7:30 p.m.

The first presentation, held last year to mark the 50th anniversary of the sinking, sold out. During the talk, the maritime expert will present forensic analysis of ill-fated ship, which sunk in Huntington Harbor 50 years ago.

What happened in the final moments before the sinking of the Gwendoline Steers tugboat? Carr will cover every aspect of the sinking and aftermath, and let the audience decide for themselves in his presentation, “The Wreck of the Gwendoline Steers: A Forensic Analysis.” The event is free to attend. 

On Dec. 30, 1962, the tugboat Gwendoline Steers, pride of the Steers Sand & Gravel Company, sank in Huntington Bay during an ice storm. The following morning, the tug’s lifeboat was found at Hobart Beach on Eaton’s Neck with the body of a crew member encased in ice. The rest of the nine member crew came ashore over the next five month, one at the south side of Eaton’s Neck, one at Crescent Beach in Centerport and another at Huntington Beach. Life Magazine and local newspapers kept the tragedy fresh in everyone’s minds until the wreck was found and all bodies recovered the following Spring.

“There were numerous issues that surrounded the sinking,” said Carr. “The weather played a major part, but numerous details both before and after the tragedy created more questions and fueled speculation pitting the Coast Guard, Army Corp, victim’s families, and Steers Sand & Gravel against one another."

“The tug was home-based out of Northport, and so the crew members were all known in the community. They were a part of Northport’s fabric as they patronized local shops on Main Street, and partook in daily business activities in the area. Steers Sand & Gravel was a family company, and the sinking shook the community to the core, and also made national headlines,” Carr said.

The Gwendoline also represents one of the few instances where the Coast Guard could not rescue stranded sailors right on their doorstep. The storm was too intense, and the Eaton’s Neck station was paralyzed, and unable to respond. “The storm was on par with what we just experienced with Tropical Storm Sandy,” stated Carr. “The winds were sustained at 75 mph with gusts of 90 mph. The only difference is that the temperature had plummeted to 3 degrees Fahrenheit, while Sandy had 60 degree temperatures.”

At the conclusion of the event, the audience will be able to view display boards, and artifacts recovered from the wreck by local divers. Attendees will also be treated to view prints of local artist Jo-Anne Corretti’s painting entitled “Last Moments” commissioned last year to commemorate the 50th Anniversary of the sinking.