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BRUNETTE "The Doorknob Wreck"
 Off Squan, NJ
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Max Depth: 71-80ft/22-24m
Entry Type: Boat
Bottom Composition: Sand
Aquatic Life: Plenty To See
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Rating: 4.00 by 2 divers
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BRUNETTE "The Doorknob Wreck" is a boat accessible salt water dive site, located in Off Squan, NJ. This dive site has an average rating of 4.00 out of 5 from 2 scuba divers. The maximum depth is 71-80ft/22-24m.
The wreck of the Brunette bears a striking resemblance to the Delaware. The form of a ship is clearly evident (although not in the picture below), from the chain locker at the bow to the propeller at the stern. One difference is that while the Delaware was wood, the Brunette was iron, so instead of ribs, the wreckage is outlined by rusted metal hull plates protruding slightly from the sand. Another difference is that the Delaware lies in mud, while the Brunette lies in clean sand. So I guess they’re not all that alike after all. Overall, this wreck seems smaller than the Delaware. The tonnage quoted above is almost certainly the cargo capacity, not the gross tonnage. In any case, the Brunette was a very small steamer for her time, and sank in only ten minutes after her port side was smashed in by the much larger Santiago de Cuba. The highest part of the wreck is the large steam engine, which stands crooked amidships, perhaps 10 ft tall. From there the drive shaft extends back to the four-bladed iron propeller, which is over six feet in diameter. The stern has collapsed and flattened, and from beneath one of the hull plates I once took a four pound lobster. The boilers in front of the engine are a good place for spearfishing. The Brunette is known as a good digging wreck, having produced many fine artifacts when it was initially discovered. Capt. Steve adds: "We have recovered school bells, horse spurs, keys, doorjambs and of course the doorknobs, gunpowder flasks, small pocket knives, brass buttons, pewter forks, spoons, Missaquois Soda bottles, and assorted hardware ( we used to refer to it as the "Rickel Wreck" for all the hardware we found ... alas now we’d be forced to call it the ’Home Depot Wreck’. )"
Type: shipwreck, steamer, USA
Built: 1867, Wilmington DE USA
Specs: 274 tons (?), 9 crew
Sunk: Tuesday February 1, 1870 by a collision with steamer Santiago de Cuba ( 1627 tons) - 2 casualties
Depth: 75 ft