Gulf Trade

An oil tanker, known as the Gulf Trade, split in half after being torpedoed and much of the crew died in the ensuing blaze. The Coast Guard cutter was nearly torpedoed while trying to rescue them. When the ship sank the bow hit the ground and, since then, it has been reduced to rubble. The stern, however, drifted ten miles to deeper water and is more intact. Although an old photo shows the ship's real name to be '�Gulf Trade'� (two words), it is more commonly known as the '�Gulftrade'�. The stern is a huge wreck that can rises up to 20 feet off the bottom in parts. Many easy penetration points can be found in the vast spaces in the main part of the wreck and the wreck is easily navigated. There are many old wire lobster pots at this wreck. A good point of reference is the triple-expansion steam engine, although as it is very broken down (only one of its three cylinders is still intact) so one can quite easily miss it. The boiler is near the engine but it's so large that you might not recognize it as a boiler. There are broken fire tubes at the end of the wreck, as well as an abundance of piping. The Gulf Trade is dived often and so it tends to be rather fished out. When coming from the north it can be a very long ride to catch nothing.