Chatham MA Cape Cod in the 60's Pendleton Shipwreck

We use to bring our boat out to MONOMOY Island off of Chatham. We would fish, swim and just hang out. Heres a link to the Pendleton Ship wreck in the movie. My father use to take us under the wreck in the boat!
http://webandwire.com/PendletonandFortMercer.htm

Category:

People & Blogs

Tags:

• Cape
• Cod
• Chatham
• Monomoy
• Island
• Murphy
• pendleton
• ship
• wreck
• chatham
• ma

[eener511]

Dear Murphy Family,

I was searching the net for some pix of MY Dad's shipwreck and Lo and Behold your Vid came up! I am freaking! Is the wreck still there? Feb.16,1952 The Tanker Pendleton was broken in 2 pieces during a monster storm. My Dad was a Seaman 1st class on that ship! I was 8 mos old. Luckily, he was on the Surviving half! Dad passed away in 2006. He was 79. I don't think he ever knew that the wreck was a landmark of sorts!

Thanx for the Video and the Goosebumps!

eener51

[TheMurphyFamily]

@eener511 Yes it was there 4 along time. I think up until the late 80's. Then it went totally under. With all the storms that area wnt through another transformation. There is a break now in Monomoy Island now. The quality of this clip isn't as good as the one I have on here. I still have the VHS tape of the family movie.The original 8mm reel was lost. We use 2 go under that thing. Scared me. That night was a bad night people swam to shore. AMAZING your father was on that.

[sheafarrell]

I just sent a long and boring comment on your wonderful video, it disappeared faster than the Pendleton. This promises to be no better.

We could see the Pendleton from our home on Morris Island and our father would take us out in a 16' Bristol w/35 HP Evinrude outboard to circumnavigate the ship wreck in search of the perfect fishing spot. Many overnight camping trips on Monomoy are now only wonderful memories of an era gone by....Thank you Murphys...

[TheMurphyFamily]

WoW I know I feel the same way. It is an era that will never be repeated so we treasure images we can use 2 get those little flash backs. We probably sat on the same beach the same day back then eating our sandy tuna fish sandwiches and drinking the Zarex. I love the Cape. Our father use to take us under the wreck and blow his horn and it would be so loud! Then the rip. I would sit on the floor and pray. hehe I flew over Hardings and the area a few yrs back I hope to transfer the footage soon.

[TheMurphyFamily]

Thank you! It was so wonderfull back then wasnt it. We could just go anywhere. My father would take us all around the reck and then I remember fishing at the rip. OOHH I use to be so scared! But looking back how much fun it was. Walkng Monomoy and climbing the tower and jumping off the edge of the beach on the cold side was a treat. We still have a home there up on Hardings Beach.

[jbrooks544]

Oh my! I LOVE your Monomoy and Chatham area vintage videos. They really bring me back. By the way, you might want to edit or add the tags to include MONOMOY, as that is the correct spelling. Thanks for the pendleton. Hopefully you have more old Chatham vids? Thanks for the memories.

[TheMurphyFamily]

Thank you! I should have known. The day I loaded them on youtube I was thinking about the family. Did you grow up there? What a great place. I do have other movies and some from the 80's and 90's on the Cape. Great to look back huh!

[sophiehix]

Thanks so much!! My family also used to zoom in and around the Pendlton in the 60's. They used to take the Boston Whaler right inside. It was like being in a church. Weird echoing sounds. We would sing and shout once inside the hull. I heard a rumor that they are making a movie of the wreck.

[capesquirt]

@cessnan121pp Are we diving outta a 210 or a boat?

[mindlessprimitive]

The first time i ever heard of this wreck was a picture of the sinking bow in one of those 1950s or 60s fabric hardcover books that smell like your grandpas attic, and upon seeing it, i was expelled to try and find it. I found some pictures of it on the t2 tanker page, including the rare one in the book, and there was more to the story. if you have anything on the fort mercer wreck, tell me.

[eener511]

Thanx again! I'm sure my Dad never thought "The Wreck" would be an adventurous diving place for future generations! It was truly a Nightmare for the survivors.

[sheafarrell]

I was literally weaned at Harding Beach. I can still taste the sandy tuna/p&b sandwiches and grape/root beer pop from the A&P and the fresh smell of sea air is second to none. Those days morphed into later years and working at Pates and CBI and The Squire. Though the town has changed, not only the geographical landscape, but the tone itself...nothing will alter the feelings of those formative 30 years. Unfortunately, I rarely make it back, but still have family with solid Chatham roots.

[Mobee211]

my grandfather had a boat that looked JUST like that ...only in mattapoissett.