Discover the USST 488, sister ship of the wreck of the Sally of New-York, a small tugboat which is still afloat, in the port of Le Havre.
In issue 33 (May-June 2021) of Dive! we introduced you to 3 deep wrecks in the Toulon area. Among these wrecks, we featured the tugboat Sally of New-York for which the existence of a cousin, a sister ship, theUSST 488, (United State Small Tug) in the port of Le Havre. Marc Langleur went to discover it.
As a reminder, the Sally of New York (which ended its career under the name Cap Gros) participated in the Allied landing in 1944, now resting at a depth of 85 meters.
I took advantage of a business trip to Normandy to stop by Le Havre and hope to see the famous sister ship. It is located in the Eure basin, just behind « Les Docks » (shopping center), easily accessible. From afar, I already recognize the characteristic silhouette of these small units that rendered many services during the 1944 landing.
A bit of history
Le USST 488 was built in Brooklyn in May 1944, then sent to Europe, arriving in Le Havre in October 1944. Its various missions led it to assist ships and move pontoons and floating cranes used to clear some 350 wrecks cluttering the port… After the Allied forces withdrew, it was purchased by the Autonomous Port of Le Havre and was finally decommissioned in 1989. A team mobilized to save it from destruction. An association was then created in 1993: « Tugboat USST 488, Le Havre 16th Port US » which aims to protect and preserve the tug, declared a historical monument since 1997.
An exploration out of the water
When you are passionate about wrecks and history, it is always very interesting to be able to compare the underwater vision you may have of the visited wreck with the « afloat » version of the ship in question. A certain emotion emerges from being able to approach this historical piece. I reminisce about the last dives on the Sally, a detail strikes me, the USST 488 is taller than in my memories of the wreck. That’s because the pilothouse is elevated compared to the Sally. Aside from the elevated pilothouse, everything else is strictly identical. It almost seems smaller than the « wreck » version, but it’s just an impression, as the Sally is rarely visible in its entirety due to currents or average visibility. Once inside the pilothouse, you immediately recognize the similar layout to the inside of the wreck, which no longer has its steering wheel, unfortunately. It’s very strange to walk along the passageways, I can’t help imagining myself on a dive!
If you are in the area, do not hesitate to visit theUSST 488, and if you are hypoxic trimix divers, plan a wreck stay in Toulon to explore its underwater counterpart!
More information ici.
Discover diving on the Sally of New-York in issue 33 of Dive!
Marc Langleur