about NJHDA

During the summer of 1992, a group of fellow scuba divers met  to discuss identifying a mystery wreck off Manasquan, New Jersey. Six years later, we successfully identified the wreck as the ship Amity of 1824. 

Calling ourselves the New Jersey Historical Divers Association (NJHDA), we began lecturing and exhibiting shipwreck artifacts. Since then, many groups have found our message to be both fascinating and educational.

On April 24, 1995, the group began to formalize and become incorporated as a not-for-profit 501(c)(3) historical organization. The group is governed by an annually elected board of trustees who are assisted associate and project members.

NJHDA investigates many of the mis-named and unidentified shipwrecks off our coast. If we successfully identify a shipwreck, we share the investigation results with the world.

NJHDA has been collaborating with the New Jersey Museum of Transportation to determine the origin of two sunken locomotives in 90 feet of water off Long Branch, NJ. The locomotives date to the 1850s. We have been studying the site, making video, photographic and remote sensing records. We have created detailed drawings of the site and collected material that is helping us determine who made them and where they were headed. Our progress has been featured on the History Channel's "Deep Sea Detectives" episode, "Underwater Train Wreck."

Of all the shipwreck sites off New Jersey NJHDA has identified, the wreck of the "John K. Shaw" is perhaps the most meaningful. The vessel, lost in 1884, was built on City Island, New York, was partly owned by a family with members living in Manasquan, and wrecked after a collision with another vessel off Long Branch. After identifying the wreck site, NJHDA was able to reunite descendants of the Shaw's owners and the family of the attorney who sought damages from the company that owned the Newport, the steamer that rammed and sunk the Shaw.