The wreck of the North Carolina is the classic vision of a sunken sailing ship. The vessel was an iron hulled English barque that measured 205 feet long and displaced 533 tons. The ill-fated ship sank on New Year's day 1880, when she struck a reef. She was en route from Bermuda to England with a general cargo of cotton, bark and fuel. Today, the North Carolina sits upright at depths ranging from 25 to 45 feet. The bow and stern are fairly intact while her mid-section has collapsed. Her bowsprit is exceptionally beautiful as it points up toward the surface. A neat row of deadeyes attached to steel rigging traces her railing and the curve of her fantail has a touch of ghostly grace.