In 1907, a 380-foot cargo steamship was built in Northeast England and christened SS Selja. Sailing the high seas during those times was often a treacherous endeavor. As fate would have it, the relatively new SS Selja was destined to meet her violent demise just three short years later.
On November 22, 1910, heavy fog limited visibility just off the coast of San Francisco. On that day, SS Selja was groping her way through the thick soup, nearing the end of a long run of Transporting goods from China to San Francisco. It turned out to be her final run.
As luck would have it, the Chinese passenger steamer SS Beaver had just began a voyage out of San Francisco in the same thick fog. Unbeknownst to the captains of both ships, they were on a collision course.
After finally seeing the impending danger, both captains took immediate and decisive action. They stopped their engines and attempted to back up. But, it was too late. The ships collided violently in the thick fog. Two Chinese crewmen were killed on the SS Selja and it sank. But, fortunately, the rest of the crew was rescued. The SS Beaver fared a little better and was able to limp back into port at San Francisco with all her passengers safe, if not thoroughly rattled!
Recently, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) used an underwater remote-controlled vehicle, equipped with sonar and video cameras, to locate and look at the forlorn SS Selja. She is lying upside down and twisted on her starboard side - her hull broken in multiple places. The wreck has been mostly consumed into the marine ecosystem, becoming home to many fish, sea anemones and various species of plant life.
Following the 1910 accident, the Master of SS Selja, Olaf Lie, sued the SS Beaver and its owners for the loss of his ship. The case went all the way to the U.S. Supreme Court. However, the maritime court ruled against Lie, declaring that he had been going too fast in the thick fog and was responsible for the mishap. This legal case helped establish the “Rules of the road" for mariners.
In fact, the waters near the coast of San Francisco resemble a graveyard of ships. More than 300 lie at the bottom, having been lost to strong winds, heavy fog, and protruding rock outcrops. Fortunately for today’s ships, sonar and other advanced navigation devices have been developed to lessen these dangers.
The San Francisco area wrecks all have a fascinating story to tell about some of the people who helped build California. Their ships and their willingness to battle the hostile maritime elements helped open America to the Pacific for nearly two centuries. Studying these wrecks is a way to help us link the past to the present.
