Exploring the Resurfaced SS Monte Carlo in Coronado, California
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- Опубліковано 24 січ 2023
- On New Years Eve in 1936, a huge storm caused the anchor chain of the S.S. Monte Carlo to snap, setting the ship adrift. After a few frantic hours, the ship ran aground on a Coronado beach, and there it was left, eventually being buried by the waves and sand, returning every so often when the weather and tides line up.
The Monte Carlo started its life as an experiment. With metal shortages due to the first World War, the government wanted to test alternative ship building materials, and ended up making a small number of ships out of concrete.
After a decade as a civilian oil tanker, in 1932 the Monte Carlo was turned into a floating casino, to be anchored off the coast of California in order to evade the state's authorities. The ship was called the finest pleasure ship on the seas, where you could find gambling, alcohol, and women. Business was good.
Despite being off shore, that didn't keep the authorities away, and over it's life, the Monte Carlo had several run ins with authorities, and one run in with pirates, leading to one of the largest acts of piracy in California history.
Eventually the ship was moved to the San Diego area, to be anchored offshore at Coronado, in order to take advantage of the city's more lax attitude and Navy presence, little did they know the ship would never leave.
With some of the lowest tides of the year lining up with a large storm just days before, we had the rare opportunity to visit the shipwreck of the Monte Carlo.
The Monte Carlo is located at 32.67428086999125, -117.17318625228116
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Born here in Ca and NEVER knew this. Keep hunting these stories.
Steve, You got balls boarding that wreck. I never heard of this wreck right off the Coronado Beach! 🤔😀👍 Five Star rating for the history lesson Steve. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Really enjoyed this video. My great uncle was one of the pirates that robbed the ship and went to jail. This is a fun addition to our family history.
Ahoy matey.
Well shiver me timbers.
I grew up in a Navy family; Dad transferred to San Diego in 1963, and that's where we lived for thirty years. I live in the Northwest now and miss those San Diego days. Your adventures in the Southwest, and especially San Diego County, bring a smile to my face and long forgotten memories to mind, once again. Thank you!
PS: Your stories, writing and delivery remind me of the late Bob Dale. You both know how to tell a great story. (If you've never heard him talk about "Booze Balls", it's worth a listen)
I remember Bob Dale on the news from when I was a kid, I'll have to look up the booze balls story.
I miss Bob Dale. His narratives of old and interesting San Diego spots were so interesting and nice.
Is this SS fpr like SchutzStaffel, or what?
Reminds me of California's Gold, with Huell Houser!
Really interesting story! The bad old days of gambling, drinking, and other pursuits were not limited to saloons, etc. Your patience has been rewarded. Thanks for sharing this fun adventure.
Thanks for watching!
First time I've heard them described as being "four masked men". Our grand uncle was reported to have been the driver of the get-away-boat. He was sentenced to a total of ten years at McNeil Island in the State of Washington. Eight years for the robbery, an additional two for smuggling alcohol.
So many hidden secrets in San Diego, and I love finding out about them. Thanks for keeping lesser known history alive
You're welcome. I love my home town and will always try to throw in some videos on it. Have a couple more planned coming up.
Great historical video (as usual). Thanks Steve, keep them coming.
Great Video, I saw a partial exposure of this when I was stationed at North Island in the 1980s.
BTW I'm the guy who recognized you last week at Dickeys. The Hat and Beard gave you away lol.
Love the Videos, keep it up.
It was really nice meeting you.
Fascinating video! The S.S. Monte Carlo is now more visible than the iconic S.S. Atlantus, sinking beneath the waves at Sunset Beach, Cape May Point, New Jersey.
Solid little tour, thank you.
Very well done! I love learning about and sharing San Diego history.
Another great adventure. Thanks Steve.
This is so cool to see and your narration of the history of what you see is great. I always look forward to Wednesday to see what you show next.
Thank you very much!
Thanks for sharing, Steve. See you next week for another interesting and informative video. 🧡
All of your videos are really good, Steve, but this one was one of your best! I especially enjoyed the video from your drone. Thank you!
What a great story!! Thanks so much for telling me about this!! Incredible you were able to time your visit to see it!!
I really enjoy your presentations of Southern California and its history. There's so much to see right in our own backyard.
All the years I’ve been going down to that beach I never knew that shipwreck existed will differently check it out next time I’m down there. Thanks for the cool video and history lesson.
Thanks. If you are in the area you might be able to see it. The super low tides are gone but it probably hasn't been reburied yet.
Hello Steve !!
Used to live in Solana Beach !
Always a joy to watch your vidz.
Cheers from snowy Detroit !
🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸
Thanks for watching!
I REALLY enjoy your videos! Thank you!!
Thanks for taking us along today to the Monte Carlo, I also enjoyed the backdrop of the hotel Del Coronado and Point Loma.
your videos are awesome!! thanks! i cant wait to catch this at the next low tide
Cool video. I’ve always wanted to check it out in person but it’s nice to see recent video footage of it. Thanks for sharing
That was interesting as always. I knew there was a submerged boat 🛥 just barely under water on a beach but I thought it was a naval vessel. Thanks for the very thorough history of the ship. My best friend lived in San Diego and loved to drive around the area and into the mountains exploring in his car. I’m sure he knew about this. You could walk right out there, it’s so close. Thanks for the up close and personal look at the remains. 👍☮️🌞❤️
I live in North County so it's cool seeing your vids about interesting things in the surrounding areas that i never knew about! Thanks Steve ur amazing 👏
Thank you.
Great informative show! Thank You!
Thanks Steve, enjoyed this video! I was stationed at NAB Coronado back in 1977 for SWO school and never heard of this wreck. Glad you were able to visit it! Safe travels!
Thanks for watching. It only shows up about once a decade or so making it pretty easy to miss.
Really like how well researched your videos are. Very informative and always interesting. Best to you and your family on the loss of grandma.
Thank you very much!
Really cool adventure thank you for taking me along
Wow! Another great video Steve. Thanks for the history lesson...amazing stuff!🙂
My pleasure!
THANK YOU FOR SHARING SOME HISTORY,
Thank you for this Awesome Video 👍👍👍
Very cool. Thanks for posting this video.👍👍
Nice work, as usual. I had heard of this ship, and seen some old pics, but hadn't seen anyone actually get on board before.
I literally live in Barrio Logan right on the other side of the bridge. Fascinating. I shared this with my daughter. I was like “hell yeah recent and local event!”
As a Native San Diegan, I kind of remember hearing about this ship, but I've never seen it. Thank you for waiting for the perfect timing to share images of it with us all!
Amazing! In 82-85 I was in the Navy stationed right there. Three years of swimming and running up and down the beach in front of the Cays almost every day and not once did I see that wreck!!!
Thanks for the detailed history lesson brother...interesting story.
Awesome video, love your channel. There’s another concrete ship just off Aptos CA at Seacliff State Beach near Santa Cruz, that one is the SS Palo Alto. It didn’t fair very well in our recent storms.
Thank you Steve! I’ve seen this wreck, but realizing that it was concrete, it never dawned on me that it was a ship. Great bit of history
Amazing story and a great history lesson! Thank you Steve!
Glad you enjoyed it
Thanks for the story, really beautiful California beach!
So interesting! Thank you!
Interesting video, good job and thanks. 🤙🏻
We would go to the Silver Strand when I was young. Dad, who was in the Navy, would talk about this ship, but I never saw it. Thank you for your research and the memory. Your videos are great and well researched.
Did he just talk about it or visit it? Hmmm
I must say again you are definitely speaking my language there's nothing more exciting than adventure and learning some new history about our state .... In the history that surrounds us
Thanks, I appreciate that.
Excellent video Steve. Great history, fun story. Thanks for sharing
No problem. Thank you for stopping by and checking out the video.
@@SidetrackAdventures Always look forward to your explores.
Cool video!🌟💯 Love the story behind it as well.
Very cool video, always look forward to your uploads!
Glad you like them!
Such a cool story I didn’t know any of this… thanks for teaching me something new.
So interesting, thanks. Used to go to San Diego and Coronado all the time. No big condos on the beach back then. Coronado was a sleepy little town reached by the ferry boat!!
Good work Sidetrack! Ive gotten to dive on a vessel off Catalina that has a story. Neat stuff. Nice background music...
Like you, I have been waiting to make a video of this place, too. I remember first learning about the shipwreck on the KUSI news several years ago. It seems that January is about the only month it’s visible due to the combination of tides and things like that. Glad you got to see it this time around. Maybe I’ll catch it next year. Cool video!
Thanks. I've been patiently checking tides at every storm waiting for it haha. Definitely worth checking out next time it appears.
Wow
Great story. 👍 Thanks.
i am reminded of the "Mulberries" the prefab concrete harbor pieces which were also floatable, made in England and sailed to Normandy as part of the Invasion. Cool video, by the way, thanks!
Another great video!
Glad you enjoyed it!
Sweet Sweet video 📹 😍 love it!
I remember hearing about the ship but completely forgot about it. Very cool video!
Fun once again, Professor
THANK YOU STEVE,VERY COOL STORY AGAIN..SAFE TRAVELS..
Thanks, you too!
Your videos just keep getting better and more interesting. This quality is good enough for TV.
Wow, thanks!
Interesting post, Steve! Thanks!
My pleasure!
Concrete ships are such an unusual, short blip in history and I find them fascinating. It's very cool that you were able to take advantage of the weather and share this with us - thank you!
There's another concrete ship wrecked on the coast of New Jersey, the Atlantus. Part-Time Explorer did a video about it that I'd definitely recommend. I wonder how many more are still out there?
The one in New Jersey is a sister ship of this one too.
@@SidetrackAdventures EVEN BETTER.
Don't forget Galveston's SS Selma....SS Selma was an oil tanker built in 1919 by F.F. Ley and Company, Mobile, Alabama. President Woodrow Wilson approved the construction of 24 concrete vessels of which only 12 were actually completed. SS Selma is the only permanent, and prominent, wreck along the Houston Ship Channel.
Thank you for your Sidetracks. You have opened up several destinations for us - many we have undertaken. That's why we left you some "Thanks" money!
Wow I never knew about this. We used to go to that beach when my daughter was little. Thanks what a great bideot
I've been to that beach 100 times and never been able to see the wreck. Thanks Steve.
I've been waiting patiently for it to be visible again.
@@SidetrackAdventures You provide a service to the public.
Living the dream.
Good video. Thanks!
Monte Carlo SS😎
Rewatching this video 👍🏽
Stationed there on the Kitty Hawk in 82 - 85. Spent many a day on that beach. Never knew about that ship though. Southern Cal in the 80's was a blast!
We love you Steve! ❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️
all ashore that's going ashore - super cool vid.
cool video! thanks for the history lesson.
That was a great story there, veeerryy interesting 🧐.
That's pretty bad a$$ 😮 I love learning from your channel! So cool u were able to see it! 7 years of not being to visible??!! 🤯
There is a great book on the ships called Noir Afloat by Ernest Marquez. I was surprised at just how many were out there.
Amazing!! What a story..there is a concrete ship also beached just south of Santa Cruz..Sea Cliff beach.
Also just north of SFO airport are several slips where these ships were made I believe..now a off airport parking lot and parking structure. Keep up the great work! Dick Santa Rosa
the SS Palo Alto from 1919.
Hey Captain Steve - great story! Don’t know how I missed this last year. I was just near that two weeks ago - I took the ferry over and had Gyros at that great little cafe. So awesome you owned that beast of a shipwreck! I’ve heard stories about that gambling ship but not that it sunk off Coronado lol. 🏴☠️
Great video. Love it.
Glad you enjoyed it!
Very nice beach my friend, have a nice week! 💚✨
I was stationed a few hundred yards south of this wreck and had no idea it was there. Thx for posting this video.
Thanks for watching!
Oh the women and gambling you missed
I had no idea. I'm going to have to head over to Coronado and check that out.
Belíssimo lugar! 😊👍🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟
Cool story I’d never heard. Makes me long for a trip to the ocean! 👍🏼
Just be sure to take your wallet out of your pocket, unlike me!
THANKS 👍
I never knew its history. When I was a kid & lived in Coronado in the 1960s & early 1970s that ship was frequently exposed. We'd frequently crawl around it. I live elsewhere in San Diego now & rarely get there anymore, but the last times I've been down there I haven't seen it & wondered if it had disappeared.
We probably knew each other. Born in Coronado in '55, graduated from CHS in '73. with the folks passing, and us kids living elsewhere, we just sold our family home on Tenth Street. Even though I was a total beach kid, I never ventured onto the Monte Carlo. Take care, S. Lewis
@@mariacaracolita9049 My sister graduated from Coronado HS in 1973. Perhaps you knew her. She was the only one of us kids actually born in the Coronado hospital. The rest of us were born at Mercy Hospital like so many other people in the San Diego area. At one time most of all my relatives lived in Coronado. Now no one does. Our family moved to south San Diego in 1973 & still live there.
Hey Steve - Love you content! Have your ever done a Coronado "Island" specific video? Would love to see a whole video on the History of The Del, Orange Street, Tent City, Spreckels and anything else you can show.
I haven't, just this, the hidden words, and the ferry.
Beautiful...💯👍
Thanks! Steve🛳
Thanks for another very unusual thing to see in the Southwest...and once again making me feel a bit ignorant about a place I thought I knew well. Aside from attending high school in Pacific Beach I was also stationed at NAS North Island in the late 1970s and use to run down that beach from the back gate of the base and yet I had never heard of this ship. I especially appreciate your research and was fascinated to learn about this and other ships during Prohibition as I was well-aware of how the US Prohibition helped speed up development on the Mexican side of the border to cater to "Sin Tourism," as it's called. While I knew of the gambling casinos that sprung up in Mexico, including on an island off the coast of Baja, I'd never heard about these "gambling ships" off our own coast and really appreciate you making me aware of them. By the way, concrete sail boats have been around for a long time...although I'd never buy one.
Wow how cool is that ?!!
Wow, that was exciting!
You point to weight as the reason for no more concrete ships. But it is actually flexibility. I see fero cement boats often, looking good after decades of use. But they are small enough that they don't need to flex. Thanks for your video.
Neat video once again
Thank you.
@@SidetrackAdventures No thank you, honestly.
Amazing that it resurfaces from time to time. I imagine that anyone who would want to search for silver in the hull would have tons of sand to get out of the way: doesn't seem like worthwhile prospecting. Thanks for this tour of a "local" (I'm in Northern California, but do visit San Diego occasionally) historical landmark.
My sister's father-in-law built concrete trawlers (officially known as ferro-cement) for over 40 years. Most were between 60 and 120 feet. He never lost one due to accident. Even after all these years, it is still an efficient and cost effective way to build mid sized boats/ships. Something to think about, during ww2, the nazis actually built gliders and V1 bombs with cement wings.
Thanks!
Thank you. I really appreciate this.
Had no idea this was there!!
!OUTSTANDING! Excellent video, Mr. Adventures! This is one of the most interesting Sandy Ego videos on UA-cam. Thank you for taking the time necessary to produce a valuable documentary. Concrete yachts were available for sale by a boat builder located between the sports arena and Mission Bay well into the 1970's -- they float fine.
Pretty interesting. I never thought of concrete for boats, but it looks like it was more popular than I knew!
@@SidetrackAdventures They work (for a while), although they don't last! ¯\_(ツ)_/¯
It is speculated that there may be $150,000 worth of silver dollar coins remaining in the wreckage. According to the late lifetime resident of Coronado, Edward "Bud" Bernhard[6] who retrieved hundreds of dollars from the shipwreck as a child: "I’m convinced there is $100,000 in gold and silver coins deep in that wreck"
I gotta go see this next time i'm in Coronado. Ive heard the stories but never actually seen any of this.