Next time you’re up at the Isthmus here on Catalina, take a moment or two to head over to the public shower and restroom area on the east side of the town of Two Harbors (you’ll probably wind up going there sooner or later anyway) and you will notice the stern of an old yacht rearing up out of the ground.
Clearly visible on the transom is the name of the unfortunate vessel, the Diosa del Mar, or “Goddess of the Sea.”
Next time you’re up at the Isthmus here on Catalina, take a moment or two to head over to the public shower and restroom area on the east side of the town of Two Harbors (you’ll probably wind up going there sooner or later anyway) and you will notice the stern of an old yacht rearing up out of the ground.
Clearly visible on the transom is the name of the unfortunate vessel, the Diosa del Mar, or “Goddess of the Sea.”
Sure, this bit of maritime wreckage may not seem like much now. But there’s a long and fascinating story behind this relic, how she met her fate and the Herculean efforts to salvage what was left of her.
Built in 1898 in Tottenville, New York, the two-masted schooner had a colorful history right up to her ignominious end at Ship Rock outside of Isthmus Harbor.
Originally built as something of a “toy” for the children of the wealthy and legendary Vanderbilt family, she weighed in at 30 tons and measured more than 60 feet in length. She was capably designed for handling deep water sailing, particularly after the installation in 1925 of a full keel to replace her original keel with auxiliary centerboard, along with a General Motors diesel.
According to documents from Lloyd’s of London, the ship actually burned in 1927 but was rebuilt shortly thereafter to her original glory. A few more modifications and a change of engine or two and by the early 1950s the Diosa found herself on the West Coast, operating out of Newport Beach.
The ship was well cared for over the years and in 1979 she won the Serena Cup as the fastest schooner in the popular Newport to Ensenada Race. After that, she sailed from Los Angeles to Hilo, Hawaii, where she was operated as a charter vessel until 1982 when she once again returned to the West Coast—for the last time.
The Diosa del Mar was truly one of the great yachting vessels of a bygone era and no doubt would have graced the high seas for many years to come. But all good things must come to an end and on July 30, 1990, she met a sudden and inglorious end thanks to the careless actions of a powerboat operator.
Just at the end of the 10th Annual Fireman’s Race in which the Diosa was taking part, a pair of fishermen came racing out of Isthmus Harbor towards the great schooner. The Diosa’s captain, Eddie Weinberg was suddenly faced with a life or death situation—namely the lives of the two wayward fishermen in a small aluminum skiff. Captain Weinberg opted to steer the Diosa straight into the rocks at Ship Rock at a full twelve knots rather than risk the lives of the two fishermen. Twelve knots may not seem like lightning speed, but it is plenty fast to rip up the bottom of a sailing vessel.
The ship settled into the deep and, there, she became a favorite dive destination and the object of numerous attempts to salvage her.
Of particular interest to salvage operators was her valuable lead keel weighing in at a whopping 20 tons. Two brothers, Don and Ed Huseman, emerged as the victors in the pursuit of this keel making at least 20 trips to Catalina. After removing the masts and much of the debris around the ship (including the afore-mentioned stern), the two brothers and their crew set about raising the keel.
Normally in marine salvage operations such as this, a number of small “lift bags” are used. The bags are fastened to the item to be raised and are then filled with air. Even with extremely heavy objects, the combined lifting force of many such bags will slowly bring the item to the surface.
The Huseman brothers, however, decided to use one large tank to bring the keel to the surface for the simple reason that they felt it would be easier to control than a number of smaller bags. Despite a number of failed attempts, their efforts finally paid off and in 1996 the keel was retrieved and towed to Long Beach. The rest of the Diosa del Mar, including her highly visible stern in Two Harbors, is destined to remain here for eternity.
Jim Watson is the author of “Mysterious Island: Catalina,” available on Amazon, Kindle and in stores all over Avalon.
