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1984 Tragedy Near Norwalk Recalls Power Of Long Island Sound

NORWALK, Conn. -- Sheltered from open ocean swells and less than 20 miles across at its widest point, at times the Long Island Sound can sometime seem more like a saltwater lake than an arm of the Atlantic Ocean.

A 1984 tragedy in which six people died when a tug boat submerged in Long Island Sound reveal the power of Long Island Sound.

A 1984 tragedy in which six people died when a tug boat submerged in Long Island Sound reveal the power of Long Island Sound.

Photo Credit: Contributed by John Haffey

The Sound’s calm attracts boaters, fishermen, and vacationing families but any mariner worth their salt knows how quickly things can change. As fall rolls in, the lazy southern winds snap north and bring with them strong gales. Flags blow crisply as the water begins to cool and seas pitch restlessly. In the fall, the Sound takes on an entirely new dimension.

No story illustrates the power of the Sound greater than the sinking of the tugboat Celtic off Sheffield Island in 1984. In late November of that year, the 85 foot tug left Bridgeport Harbor headed for Port Newark, N.J. with a 125 foot barge of scrap metal in tow.

Under the cover of night with calm seas forecasted, the crew of six unexpectedly ran into trouble less than 20 miles into their voyage.

With late fall winds suddenly gusting out of the north, sustained winds of 25 mph quickly created seas in excess of three feet. As the tug passed to the south of the Norwalk Islands, disaster struck. When the Celtic failed to arrive in port the next morning, officials began to wonder where the tug had gone.

The Eaton’s Neck Coast Guard station received no mayday call, no distress flares were fired, and no debris showed an apparent accident. It was as if the Celtic and her crew had simply been swallowed by the sea without a trace.

A report of oil bubbling to the surface south of Sheffield Island alerted federal, state, and local rescue crews who quickly began an investigation. Sitting 70 feet beneath the Sound’s gray surface lay the Celtic, still strapped to the barge and holding her crew of six in their underwater graves.

Investigators concluded the squall swamped the low-lying barge, dragging down the Celtic and her crew in a matter of seconds. Those on board had no time to find life preservers, radio for help or even abandon ship.

Today, the Celtic still sits on the shoals off Sheffield Island; it has become an artificial reef and a favorite spot for Northeast divers. The tragedy of the Celtic also serves as a reminder of the Sound’s power. 

Although calm and tranquil one day it has the power to turn deadly in an instant. As the boating season begins its final months, remember the Celtic tragedy. Captains, be vigilant and account for unexpected weather, keep the crew’s safety paramount, and exercise prudent seamanship.

John Haffey Jr. is a Norwalk resident and Long Island Sound enthusiast and has navigated and fished Coastal Connecticut for years.

 

 

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