Theodore Parker

The Theodore Parker is a 441-foot (134 m) Liberty ship lying approximately 4 miles southwest of Beaufort Inlet, about a mile and a half off the beach in North Carolina. Built in March 1943, she made multiple Atlantic crossings during World War II carrying food and war materials. In November 1944 she struck a mine 75 miles from the mouth of the Humber River, returned to Hull for repairs, and after the war was laid up in the Merchant Marine Reserve Fleet on the James River. In 1974 North Carolina purchased her for the artificial reef program, cut away the superstructure so that the second deck became her top deck, and sank her on June 4, 1974.

The wreck rests on a sandy bottom at 60 feet (18 m), with the highest decks rising to 30 feet (9 m), giving roughly 30 feet (9 m) of relief along her 441-foot (134 m) hull.

Visibility at the Theodore Parker is generally 15–20 feet (4.5–6 m), held down by the site's close proximity to shore. Water temperature runs 75–80 °F (24–27 °C) in summer. The site is rated beginner level, and the dive is boat-accessed, with the wreck sitting about 4 miles from Beaufort Inlet.