Lost California Treasure

Wreck of the Clipper King Philip

The King Philip was a three-masted clipper ship built in 1856. In 1878, she lost her anchor and drifted ashore at Ocean Beach, where she broke up and became buried in the sand. Every few decades, extreme low tides and shifting sands expose her wooden hull ribbing.

Record typeshipwreck
LocationOcean Beach, San Francisco
Probability indexHigh
Land statusGolden Gate National Recreation Area (National Park Service; protected historic resource)
Research coordinates37.7515, -122.5098
SourceNational Park Service Golden Gate NRA - Vestiges of Shipwrecks

Field Research Notes

The wreck is buried beneath the sand of Ocean Beach. Remnants are only visible during extremely low (minus) tides, typically after large winter storms have washed away the top layers of sand. Do not attempt to dig or excavate, as the beach is managed by the National Park Service and ARPA rules apply.

Recommended Gear

Tide table app, Camera, Warm layers

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