“What’s that?” you might ask, spotting a strange form emerging from the sands of Coronado Beach. That is the wreck of the SS Monte Carlo at Shipwreck Shore. This isn’t just any old pile of debris. It’s a piece of San Diego history. A relic from a time of Prohibition-era revelry and high-seas gambling.
Shipwreck Shore is more than just a beach. It’s a stage where the past occasionally makes a dramatic reappearance. Most of the time the SS Monte Carlo is buried beneath the sand. But after big storms and during very low tides, she emerges like a ghost ship. The skeletal remains of the SS Monte Carlo reveal themselves.
Let’s rewind to the early 1930s. The SS Monte Carlo wasn’t always a shipwreck. Originally named the SS McKittrick, this concrete ship was built in 1921 as an oil tanker. But in 1932, she was sold, renamed, and transformed into something far more exciting.
Imagine this: it’s the tail end of Prohibition. The SS Monte Carlo, now a floating casino, anchors three miles offshore. This places it just beyond the reach of local authorities. Gambling, drinking, and other questionable activities flourish. The ship becomes the largest member of “Gambling Ship Row.” It attracts crowds eager for unregulated fun. Some even say that Hollywood icons like Clark Gable and Mae West visited.
The SS Monte Carlo was a hotspot. It hosted around 15,000 people a week. Patrons enjoyed dining, drinking, gambling, and other entertainment. Roulette wheels spun. Blackjack tables buzzed. Poker games unfolded. Slot machines chimed. It was a world of illicit pleasures.
But the party couldn’t last forever. On New Year’s Day in 1937, a fierce storm struck. The chains anchoring the SS Monte Carlo snapped. The ship drifted helplessly. It ran aground on Coronado Island. The two caretakers on board were rescued. No one claimed ownership of the vessel. Its illegal activities made it an unwanted liability.
Locals wasted no time in stripping the ship of anything valuable. Lumber, booze, and gambling paraphernalia washed ashore. Coronado residents and Hotel del Coronado guests were the beneficiaries. The SS Monte Carlo was left to decay.
Today, the wreck lies just offshore from Coronado Beach. It appears briefly after storms. The most recent reemergence was in January 2023. People walk on the wreckage. They marvel at this relic of a bygone era. The SS Monte Carlo serves as a reminder of San Diego’s colorful past.
Keep an eye out for low tides. You might just catch a glimpse of this historic shipwreck. It’s a rare opportunity to connect with a time when the ocean was a playground for those seeking fortune and illicit thrills. But don’t go searching for treasure. That story about finding $400,000 in coins? It was just an April Fool’s prank.