Shifting sand at both Wasque and Lucy Vincent Beach has uncovered what may be parts of two shipwrecks.

Last Sunday afternoon, Andrew Orcutt of Edgartown and Albany was out walking the shoreline near Wasque and the Norton Point breach. He discovered remnants of what appeared to be a ship in the wash.

It is possible that the timbers were part of the six-masted schooner Mertie B. Crowley, which has been showing itself over the last few years near Norton Point. The 296-foot Mertie B. Crowley sank off Wasque on Jan. 23, 1910. All were rescued by Edgartown fisherman Levi Jackson and his crew.

Mr. Orcutt said he learned as a child that after any big coastal storm he could take a walk along the beach and make discoveries.

At Lucy Vincent Beach there have been reports of pieces of a ship poking through the sand. They are possibly from the 95-foot schooner Basile, which ran aground in fog on March 22, 1913 in that area. Large portions of the vessel were uncovered in March of 1994.