A 19th-century shipwreck hidden beneath Nantucket sand was just revealed by powerful waves from a violent nor’easter. Heavy rain and gale-force winds hit the East Coast on Saturday, September 26, 2026, as the storm battered the region. On the south shore, a pallet of waterlogged timber bound by rusted nails and seaweed emerged. The Nantucket Current shared video of the find.
The wooden segment likely belongs to the Warren Sawyer. This New Orleans-bound schooner crashed nearby in 1884. The ship carried cotton and scrap iron. It veered off course and hit the island around 11 p.m. on December 22, 1884. Scientists had found other pieces in December 2022 but could not be sure. Massachusetts Archeologist David Robinson told the outlet that research was hard work. The storm simply washed away the sand that hid the truth.
The nor’easter lashing Nantucket with wind and rain this weekend has uncovered the remains of a shipwreck along the island’s south shore.
The fragment is likely from the 19th century schooner Warren Sawyer, a wooden ship that wrecked near Miacomet Beach on December 22, 1884. pic.twitter.com/s7FNnXbhNr
— Nantucket Current (@ACKCurrent) September 26, 2026
While history came to light in Massachusetts, the water in New York became deadly. Governor Kathy Hochul warned people to stay away from the ocean. She noted, “A dangerous nor’easter is already bearing down on the coastal areas” Despite the warnings, roughly 20 surfers went into the water off Rockaway Beach. Preston Head, 35, traveled from California to ride the huge swells. The extreme surf snapped his board in two.
He told The New York Post, “The wave broke my surf board.” He added, “It was probably a 8-foot wave.” Local surfer Ron McMaster, a software engineer, said, “Today is for the experts.” He warned that people die when waves drift them into rocks. Another surfer, Ryo Kuroki, noted the waves were “twice as tall” as him. Some locals tried to ride anyway. One man, Bobby Gonzalez, quit because the waves were too big. He remarked, “It was exhausting just trying to get out there” He plans to try again later.
The storm caused real harm across the region as winds reached 45 mph in some spots. A 56-year-old man in Brooklyn died after a tree fell on him. Police said he suffered “trauma throughout his body” on Euclid Avenue around 3:30 p.m. He was rushed to Brookdale Hospital and died shortly after 5 p.m. The storm dumped up to 8 inches of rain in the area. Governor Hochul declared emergencies in New York City and Long Island. She cautioned, “With tonight’s full moon the tides may even be higher” She expects waves of 20 feet in some areas.
Floodwaters covered roads in Queens and New Jersey. Two cops were injured when a tree and lightpole fell on their car. A Nissan SUV then hit their idling patrol car. The officers were transported to the hospital while in stable condition. At least 100,000 homes remained in the dark due to downed lines. Nearly 30,000 customers in New Jersey and 20,000 in New York lost power by 7 a.m. Saturday. Governor Mikie Sherrill declared emergencies in eight counties in New Jersey. The storm is expected to move offshore by Monday.
