SS Cuba
The Cuba was a German built steamship seized by the US in 1917. It was sold to the Pacific Mail Steamship Company and carried passengers and cargo from San Francisco to Havana until its route shifted from San Francisco to Cristóbal.
On the morning of September 8, 1923, Cuba struck a reef just off San Miguel Island in the Santa Barbara Channel off Point Arguello and the coast of Santa Barbara County, California. All aboard survived and were rescued, but the Cuba was a total loss.
The ship's radio was out. She had been navigating through a dense fog for several days. Later that day, nine US Navy destroyers ran aground nearby in the Honda Point Disaster.
The ships remnants are now part of the Channel Islands National Marine Sanctuary and a protected U.S. national park.
Learn About Our Other Museum Exhibits
Santa Barbara Maritime Museum has several other fascinating exhibits, and there's something fun for everyone in the family. Come learn about 13,000 years of human history in the Santa Barbara Channel, including the Chumash Indians, deep sea divers, shipwrecks, commercial fishing, and so much more. We also have several contemporary exhibits about the evolution of surfing, oil spills, whales, and marine life. There are several fun and interactive exhibits and activities for kids too.