Sauce Bros Barge – Castroville, California - Atlas Obscura
Places near me Random place

Sauce Bros Barge

Castroville, California

An abandoned boat that's been stranded mysteriously for decades.  

View all photos
The barge seen during sunset. truittgrant (Atlas Obscura User)
The barge seen during sunset. truittgrant (Atlas Obscura User)
The beautiful barge on the beach. truittgrant (Atlas Obscura User)
Its state of decay makes it nearly impossible to move. truittgrant (Atlas Obscura User)
Barge at high tide jrforster (Atlas Obscura User)
90
406
Top Places in California
Cabazon's T-rex dressed up for Valentine's Day
Cabazon Dinosaurs
Cabazon, California
Slab City
Calipatria, California
Tiki-Ti
Los Angeles, California
 See All

On the beach between Marina and Moss Landing in the Salinas River National Wildlife Refuge is an abandoned 150-feet barge which remains a local mystery.  

Many reports suggest that it was grounded during a storm in December 1983, while others say it was pushed ashore in 1995. The barge named Sauce Bros, was likely used to open the mouth of the Salinas river, that was sealed up with sand, to allow water to drain into the ocean.

The barge was considered a non-hazard due to the fact that its fuel tank was empty when it beached. That, paired with the heavy, rusted nature of the barge makes it both nearly impossible to move and a non-threat to the local environment. Fishermen climb onto the barge and use the holes to drop a line and do some fishing. Anyone willing to risk a walk on it will enjoy a one-of-a-kind photo op and amazing scenery.

Know Before You Go

Take the Del Monte exit off of the HWY 1 and go out towards the ocean. Straight ahead on the road you can see a parking lot. The road to the parking lot is often covered in deep mud, so don't get stuck. You can take roads through the fields that loop around to the parking lot, but this is private property and trespassing is illegal.
Once you are on the beach it is about a mile north through the sand to the barge. When you get to the barge, be careful. Climbing on it is not advised as the deck is rusty and old and you can easily fall through.

shipwrecks ships beaches oceans rivers abandoned
Nearby
World's Largest Artichoke Statue
3.16 miles
Elkhorn Slough
3.83 miles
The Steinbeck House Restaurant
9.39 miles
Want to see fewer ads? Become a Member.
Near This Place
Cars for scale
Castroville, California

World's Largest Artichoke Statue

It should come as no surprise that the world's largest artichoke lies in the town that calls itself the "Artichoke Center of the World."
A cautious frog surveys the scene.
Moss Landing, California

Elkhorn Slough

More than 700 species live within this murky marvel of a swamp on California's coast.
Salinas, California

The Steinbeck House Restaurant

Eat a tasty meal in the house where John Steinbeck was born.
Pacific Grove, California

Kissing Rock

Two rocks in a perpetual kiss and one of "the most romantic spot in America."
Related Places
Churchill, Manitoba

Shipwreck of the MV Ithaka

The rusting hulk of a 250-foot-long merchant vessel remains where she grounded on the shore of Hudson Bay.
Cemitério de navios - The Ship Cemetery
Panguila, Angola

Cemitério de Navios (The Ship Cemetery)

Abandoned ships along a deserted beach feel like the set of a post-apocalyptic thriller.
Hel, Poland

Beached Wreck of the Warship Grom II

The rusting hulk of a Soviet warship sits on a Polish beach.
A rusty shipdeck sits submerged in the sand along a beach
Manzanillo, Costa Rica

Yicel Shipwreck

An intentionally grounded cargo ship remains half-buried in the sand.
In partnership with KAYAK

Plan Your Trip

From Around the Web