# Willoughby Spit's sunken sub?



## wolfva

Just off the tip of Willoughby Spit is what is supposed to be a sunken sub. Least, that's what I was told growing up, and apparently alot of other people have heard that to. All that's left above water is a 'conning tower', and a long shadow underwater. I know last year the Virginian Pilot wrote an article about what it really was, but my mind is floundering in senility and I can't find any links online. Anyone know where to find stories about this wreck, or others near the coast? 

Btw, one thing I DO know is the water gets real deep near that tower, and if you cast into it you probably won't get your hooks back ....


----------



## Tom Powers

I have heard of sunken boats inside Willoubhby bay and the charts show an obstruction just inside Fort Wool. I have been goofing around that area off and on for about 20 years and I have never seen or heard a conning tower above the water.

There is a submerged tower over in the middle of Hampton Flats that I found with keel of my sail boat years ago. I came to a flying stop and bent a 1/2 inch SS bolt that was acting as the keel pin to about 45d at each end. It also left a heck of a notch in my keel about 3 feet down at low tide. It was shown as an obstruction on the charts.

Go to the following link to look at on line charts.,

http://ocsdata.ncd.noaa.gov/OnLineViewer/

For the specific chart

http://www.charts.noaa.gov/OnLineViewer/12245.shtml


----------



## Entropy

idk, i would imagine that a sunken sub would be recovered by the US government. i dont think they would just leave it unless it was intentionally sunk as an artificial reef type deal.


----------



## AndyMedic

i think I read on an old OV website that said they Govt removed it back in the day


----------



## Mark Lindsey

Back in the 60's there was a sunken WW2 u-boat there. It's been gone for a long time. I remember seeing it when I was a teenager and that was a long time ago.


----------



## Justfshn

*Sub chaser?*

opcorn:Here is what i managed to find out about it. Aparently some say it is a sunken u boat not a sub. I dont know which story to believe but there is something over there. Here is a pic i found in a link from the nickel tour website. It shows something from the craft at low tide.









Some might say an enemy sub got into the wiloughby bay but other say there was no chance. Or someting like that. Here is another pic of the sub nets that lined the bay to keep the enemy subs out. Here is a pic i found somewhere else..










Here is a link to the nickel tour site. click the sub link at the top for a more detailed discusion on it.
http://rkpuma.com/ov/nickel1.htm


----------



## Fishman

Just FYI a U Boat is another name for a German submarine.


----------



## Rockstar

I remember seeing a small submarine stored at Willoughby Marina when I was a kid.


----------



## oldschool

Mark Lindsey said:


> Back in the 60's there was a sunken WW2 u-boat there. It's been gone for a long time. I remember seeing it when I was a teenager and that was a long time ago.



Yeah, it was there for a long time too.


----------



## OtterPop

http://www.rkpuma.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=103

direct link from the nickel page posted from SGT. 

It is kind of amusing how not even the public google earth markers have it mapped and moving up to that area on my chart plotter it isnt even listed as an obstruction on mine ( maybe too close to shore ) and the maps were updated for me as of oct 3rd 2007


----------



## incucrash

I've always fished there as a kid, not sure what it is, growing up I was told it was anything from a sub to a boat wreck, but that area and behind the old motel has always produced croaker, flounder, skate, spot, and i've even seen grey trout come up there, so... i'm sure the wreck and debris helps, but be careful in your boat, alot of props have been tore up there!


----------



## Justfshn

Fishman said:


> Just FYI a U Boat is another name for a German submarine.


Dont i feel dumb, and i sat here and did a bit of research on it

I usually fish to the right of the bridge over there on the beach. I am just curious is there anywhere or way to fish over there by this wreck? Cause i thought they were building something and had it all blocked off. Thanks


----------



## wolfva

Yeah, it's all blocked off now for the latest and greatest Condo unit that Norfolk just absolutely NEEDS or no one will ever have a place to live because we are JUST. SO. SHORT. on housing, dontcha know. However, it's easily attainable by kayak. From the beach you can walk up to a few feet of it at low tide; right near the tower the water goes deep though; used to be a sign warning folks not to get to close because of cables, and the risk of getting snagged.

I know it's been there since the 1940's; another site had a pic of a guy in 1949 standing on the hull; people used to fish right off of it. Guess it's been settling into the sand over the years.

If you go to GoogleEarth, Microsoft Maps, or Yahoo Maps and zero in to the area just left of where the HRBT leaves Willoughby, you can see it. The Yahoo map is old; it was taken when the Hotel was still there. The vessel is right behind the swimming pool. Extends a couple hundred feet out, and is pretty narrow.


----------



## basstardo

wolfva said:


> Yeah, it's all blocked off now for the latest and greatest Condo unit that Norfolk just absolutely NEEDS or no one will ever have a place to live because we are JUST. SO. SHORT. on housing, dontcha know.


Yep, Norfolk is absolutely short of 350-900K living spaces.  What a waste of space that place is going to be. :--|


----------



## buxtondaydreamin

basstardo said:


> Yep, Norfolk is absolutely short of 350-900K living spaces.  What a waste of space that place is going to be. :--|


i heard the whole place is on hold until the market improves.


----------



## basstardo

I've heard that and that the developer ran out of money, but I heard that from someone else on here. They're definitely not doing any work out there. I drive by there on my way to work every day, and not one thing has changed out there in several months. I know some folks have already bought their condo's, and if I was one of them, I'd be pissed.


----------



## there_in_there

Is that on the willoughby side or the hampton side? by the Spit ?


----------



## incucrash

SGT.Bunghole said:


> Dont i feel dumb, and i sat here and did a bit of research on it
> 
> I usually fish to the right of the bridge over there on the beach. I am just curious is there anywhere or way to fish over there by this wreck? Cause i thought they were building something and had it all blocked off. Thanks


I don't really do it anymore but there is a concrete wall there where the Fishermans Wharf was, the swimming pool/hotel property, you can climb it from the beach and it's about a 2 foot wide walkway, don't fall cause the stuff under you will cut you up bad! then it connects to that stretch of Beach behind the old motel.

A few weeks ago when I was at the HRBT, I saw 2 guys on the beach fishing, and I think during weekday business hours it's open but not sure if it's open to the public. Best to find out the contractor/company info and contact them but, the beach jetty right down from there is about the closest way. Park on the public streets on Ocean View, walk to the wooden beach gateway, but do not take it, take a left on that street, I think it's called Lea View, go to the end, there is a narrow pathway that leads right to the fishing area.



there_in_there said:


> Is that on the willoughby side or the hampton side? by the Spit ?


It's on the Willoughby/Norfolk side, right when the bridge ends.


----------



## wolfva

A few months ago I read in the paper that they had to reimburse the folks that bought condos because the developers had run out of cash. I say they should bring back Fisherman's Wharf, or whatever that resteraunt was that they tore down for the condos. They had a hell of a good seafood buffet.


----------



## cbh132

It was there behind the warf, back in the 60s right up against the shore. Supose to been a uboat. I guess over time the tower went away. This was when there was only one tube to the otherside, and if my memory servs me right it cost ya a 25 cent pice to cross both ways.


----------



## incucrash

wolfva said:


> I say they should bring back Fisherman's Wharf, or whatever that resteraunt was that they tore down for the condos. They had a hell of a good seafood buffet.




you got that right, I went as a kid alot, was really good.... I never got the chance to eat at Duck inn but i heard it was good eats as well, it's screwed up, this entire area is tearing down good places, and for what? condos that people can not afford? 

ugh >>>ANGER<<<< lol


----------



## oldschool

incucrash said:


> you got that right, I went as a kid alot, was really good.... I never got the chance to eat at Duck inn but i heard it was good eats as well, it's screwed up, this entire area is tearing down good places, and for what? condos that people can not afford?
> 
> ugh >>>ANGER<<<< lol


Ahhhh, the "OLD" Duck Inn. 

A dozen FAT Lynnhaven oysters for $1.25 and drafts for 75 cents. I used to fish the beach in the morning then go inside for the afternoon. 

Has anything around here changed for the better? I'm thinking real hard......


----------



## wolfva

Sure things have turned around for the better Oldschool...IF you own stock in development companies....


----------



## incucrash

oldschool said:


> Ahhhh, the "OLD" Duck Inn.
> 
> A dozen FAT Lynnhaven oysters for $1.25 and drafts for 75 cents. I used to fish the beach in the morning then go inside for the afternoon.
> 
> Has anything around here changed for the better? I'm thinking real hard......


75 cents?!?!?!

man, why couldn't I have been 21 for that one =[


----------



## wolfva

Heh, back then you'd've had to be 18 <G>.


----------



## Lip Ripper

dollar pitchers in fredericksburg!!!!!!!!:beer::beer::beer::beer::beer::beer::beer::beer::beer::beer::beer:


----------



## incucrash

Lip Ripper said:


> dollar pitchers in fredericksburg!!!!!!!!:beer::beer::beer::beer::beer::beer::beer::beer::beer::beer::beer:


wheres this? lol


wolfva said:


> Heh, back then you'd've had to be 18 <G>.


Dangit.. lol =]


----------



## jeth32

What a coincidence! I was communicating with relatives of a cousin in VA yesterday about this very subject. 

I am from NY, but used to go down to VA almost every summer as I was growing up. My aunts had a big house on Lafayette Blvd. and one aunt had a cottage on Chela Avenue. After she died someone bought the cottage and moved it one block away to Lea View Avenue after removing all it's charm, the wrap around porches.

Back to the sub. I remember it well. It was in the vicinity of where the new bridge ends. Originally, West Ocean View Avenue ended s short distance from that point, where there was a turnaround for the trolleys. At the turnaround was a bar called Trails End. There was also the old ferry terminal where the rear paddle wheelers departed for Old Point Comfort. 

When I spent my summers growing up there (late 1930s to 1950s) we often went to the end of Chela Avenue to the beach, occasionally even to fish. I remember only eels and an occasional sting ray, though. But we saw the sub between the end of Chela Avenue and the back of Trails End. At one time there was a fence around it and warning signs not to climb on it or take pictures. Now I wish I had. The conning tower and a small part of the bow was visible, the rest was buried or rusted away. 

At that time, the sands were making major changes in the topography; eroding the "Big Bay" (Chesapeke side) and depositing them on the "Liottle Bay" side facing the Naval Air Station where the sea planes took off for their patrols. At low tide you could walk almost half way to the NAS, up to where a channel was dredged for the planes. Originally, there was another street north of Lea View Avenue at the end of 15th Street. But it and the homes that were on it were reclaimed by the bay. 

My last visit back a couple of years ago was very depressing. I found only one of the original cottages, the one next to my aunt's. The rest of the space was filled the multi-floor apartments. 

I've searched for information about the sub and this is the first I have found. At least others do remember it even though it's origin is still a mystery.


----------



## Smittroc

wolfva said:


> Heh, back then you'd've had to be 18 <G>.


lol I love the word "you'd've" lol. I have never seen that one. I'm going to steal it sir, hope ya don't mind! lol


----------



## Smittroc

incucrash said:


> wheres this? lol
> 
> 
> Fredericksburg is some place far enough where you'd get a DUI on the way home lol


----------

