Thursday 19 February 2009

NYON MV

The Nyon ran aground off St Abb's Head in Berwickshire in 1958, as this picture shows. The stern section was saved, and the Nyon was rebuilt. In 1962 she sank of Beachy Head following a collision.

NYON (Depth 43m bottom 29m top - 10.8 N/miles South East from Newhaven)
50 38 04N; 00 12 22E

A Swiss ship of 5,364 tons, on it's way from Antwerp to Montreal, sank on 15th June 1962. After a collision with the Indian ship Jalazad. She was carrying a cargo of cars and 7,000 tons of steel. Her bridge is the highest point sitting 14m from the sea bed and lies East to West with the bow to the West 10m proud of the bottom.

DIVING:
Bows at 10m high sits to the west and well broken up, the bridge stands 14m high, watch out for trawl nets.

CLAN MACMILLAN



CLAN MACMILLAN (Depth 20m to bottom - 4 N/miles South from Newhaven)

This is an armed merchantman of 4,525 tons. She was sunk by a torpedo from the UB 39 on 24th March 1917. She was 120m long with a 14m beam. Her iron propeller sticks up at a sharp angle. This is a good wreck for lobsters.

DEVON COAST SS

DEVON COAST (Depth 15m to bottom - 4.4 N/miles East from Newhaven)
Position: 50 44 25N; 00 08 50W
This is a 3 masted steamer that was 60m long with a beam of over 8m and weighing 668 tons. She sunk 4th November 1908 while in tow, after a collision in with another steamer the Jeanie. She sits on the sea bed with parts 2m proud. Her cargo of Cement give her the local name of the 'Stone boat'.

Diving:
Well broken up stands 2m high from the mud-sand, winches are still visible.

Nationality:
British
Type of wreck:
Cargo
Propulsion:
Steamer
Weight (tons):
668
Dimensions (m):
54,9x8,7x--
Cause Lost:
Collision
Date Lost:
04/11/1908 [dd/mm/yyyy]
Date Built:
1905
Builder:
W. Harkness & Sons Ltd., Middlesbrough
Owner:
F. H. Powell & Co., Liverpool
Depth (m):
15 max. / 13 min.

Wednesday 18 February 2009

VASCO SS

Vasco: 1.914 ton 280ft British Merchantman.
Position: 50 39 31N; 00 02 00W,
Depth, 33m
Sunk:. 16th November 1916, whilst on route from Hull for Naples she hit a mine and sank when 10 miles W x S from Beachy Head. 17 crew drowned.
Diving : Sitting upright 5m high facing South East, sitting in a scour she is a good wreck to visit.

280x40x19.2 feet;
188nhp triple expnasion engine.
Vessel was owned Wilson Line Ltd, Hull.

Nationality:
British
Type of wreck:
Merchant Ship
Propulsion:
Steamer
Weight (tons):
1914
Dimensions (m):
85x--x--
Cause lost:
Mine
Date lost:
16/11/1916 [dd/mm/yyyy]
Owner:
Wilson Line, Hull
Depth (m):
33 max. / 28 min.

OCEANA SS

OCEANA (Depth 22m bottom 18m top - 15 N/miles East from Newhaven)
This is the wreck of a P&O Liner of 6,610 tons. She sunk after a collision with the Pisagua. When she went down she had a cargo that included £750,000 worth of Gold and Silver (3 million in today's money) They say that there is still £3,000 (£12,000 today's rate). It is also reported that an ingot was found as recently as 1996, so make sure you have got your goodie bag, you never know your luck. She is 351m long with a 39m beam and sit 4m off the seabed.
Details: Steamship, P&O Liner, 142.8m by 15.8m, 6610 tons.
Diving: Boilers stand 6m high amid tangle of wreckage.
Sand covers and uncovers some sections.

6610-ton P&O liner, built 1888. 468ft x 52ft. 7000hp triple expansion engines. CARGO: General, plus 747,110 worth of gold and silver ingots. 40 passengers, 210 crew, London to Bombay. POSITION: 50 42.32N; 00 25.75E. DEPTH: 22m.SUNK: 16 March, 1912, in collision with Pisagua, 2850-ton German four-masted steel barque. Nine from Oceana drowned when lifeboat capsized. All except a few ingots recovered in immediate diving salvage.
DIVING: One more silver ingot recovered by sport diver in 1996. Beware strong tides, dive only on slack of 30 minutes. Boilers 6m proud amid tangle of wreckage. Sand covers and uncovers some sections.

Nationality:
British
type of wreck:
Ocean Liner
Propulsion:
Steamer
Weight (tons):
6610
Dimensions (m):
163x13x--
Cause lost:
Collision
Date Lost:
16/03/1912 [dd/mm/yyyy]
Date Built:
1888
Builder:
Harland & Wolff Ltd.
Owner:
Peninsular & Oriental Steam Navigation Co. (P&O)
Engine:
3cyl trip exp
Power:
7000 h.p.
Speed:

Depth (m):
25 max. / 20 min.

MIRA SS

Mira Distance from Eastbourne: 11 miles
Sunk: 11/10/1917, mined by UC 50
Details: British tanker, 105m by 14.5m, 3700 tons.
Depth: Depth, 30m
Diving: Sitting on her starboard side, decks are vertical, badly corroded so this is a wreck to take care with.

Mira was a 3,700grt, defensively-armed British Tanker steamer. On the 11th October 1917 when 4 miles SW ½W from Beachy Head she hit a mine and sank.

Nationality:
British
Type of wreck:
Tanker
Propulsion:
Steamer
Weight (tons):
3700 grt
Dimensions (m):
105x14,32x6,4
Cause lost:
Mine
Date lost:
11/10/1917 [dd/mm/yyyy]
Date built:
1901
Builder:
C. S. Swan & Hunter Ltd., Newcastle-upon-Tyne
Owner:
Mira S. S. Co. Ltd.
Engine:
3cyl trip exp
Power:
351 h.p.
Speed:

Depth (m):
30 max. / -- min.

FORTUNA SS


FORTUNA. (Depth 28m bottom 24m top - 6.6 N/miles South from Newhaven)
A 76m long Dutch Steamship weighing in at 1,254 tons. It was sunk by a German mine, when it was on its way from Cardiff to Rotterdam..
Fortuna: 1.254 ton 270ft by 36ft beam. Dutch Steamship.Position: 50 41 38N; 00 02 16W, Depth, 30mSunk:. 22nd October 1916 Mined possibly by the UC 60.15 crew died.
Diving : Holed at the stern it is possible to enter her, take care because of silting, she is still intact, portholes are still visible, beer bottles can be found in the wheel house at the rear.

Maatschappij; 1913; N.V. Werf Rijkee & Co; 1.254 tons; 251.4x36.2x16; 150 nhp; triple expansion engines. The Dutch steamship Fortuna was bound from Rotterdam to Cardiff on October 22nd, 1916, when she struck a mine laid by the Germane minelaying submarine UC-16. She sank nine miles S.W. of Beachy Head, with the loss of 15 of her crew.

Nationality:
Dutch
Type of wreck:
Merchant ship
Propulsion:
Steamer
Weight (tons):
1254 grt
Dimensions (m):
80,01x10,97x4,88
Cause lost:
Mine
Date lost:
22/10/1916 [dd/mm/yyyy]
Date built:
1912
Builder:
Rijkee & Co. N. V.
Owner:
Koninklijke Nederlandsche Stoomboot Mij. (K.N.S.M.)
Engine:
Triple expansion 3cyl
Power:
800 i.h.p.
Speed:
9.5 knots
Depth (m):
30 max. / 24 min.

CLODMOOR SS


Clodmoor SS Built: 1902, sunk in 1917. Steamer, 42.7x46.6x24.8ft, triple expansion engines, 8.5 knots. Clodmore SS, built in 1902 as a steamship of 3.753 ton Dimensions: 342.7x46.6x24.8 feet. powered: Triple expansion engine 300nhp. Speed 8.5 knots. Carrying a cargo of wheat. Launched on the 29th Nov 1902 and commissioned by the Admiralty from the 2oth March of the same year as a collier. She was transferred to the Italian Goverment hauling steel & oats from the 21st march until her temporary release from service on the 3rd July 1916. Took up Collier duties again in 1916. From 19th January 1917 Clodmoor held a Royal Commission to transport wheat. On the 3rd May 1917 whilst on route from Bahia Blanca for Newcastle with a cargo of wheat she was torpedoed 5 miles south of Newhaven.

Nationality:
British
Type of wreck:
Cargo
Propulsion:
Steamer
Weight (tons):
3733 grt
Dimensions (m):
104,45x14,26x7,55
Cause lost:
Torpedo
Date lost:
03/05/1917 [dd/mm/yyyy]
Date built:
1902
Builder:
William Doxford & Sons Ltd., Sunderland
Owner:
Walter Runciman & Co. Ltd. (Moor Line Ltd.), Newcastle-Upon-Tyne
Engine:
3cyl triple expansion engine
Power:
300 n.h.p.
Speed:
8.5 knots

BLANEFIELD SS


BLANEFIELD. (Depth 30m bottom 24m top - 9.9 N/miles South East from Newhaven)
This is a 3,411 tons Steamer that sunk after a collision with the Kate Thomas. She is 106m long and has a beam of 14m. It sits at a height of between 3m-6m from the sea bed. This is the wreck that Prince Charles first command in the Navy (HMS Bronnington) dived while he was in command. This has the highlight of the triple expansion boiler the sits amid ships and provides a great dive.
Blanefield: 3.411 ton SteamerPosition: 50 41 11N; 00 08 24W, Depth, 30mSunk:. 1st may 1906 in collision with the Kate Thomas 36 died.
Diving: Highlights are the triple expansion engines sitting 6m high, the wreck stands 2m high with a 3m scour at the stern. There is also some confusion about other wreck at the same spot
Sunk: 01/05/1906, on passage Junin to Dover, collision with the Kate Thomas
Details: Steamship, 107m by 14m, 3411 tons.
Depth: 30m
Diving: Highlights are the triple expansion engines sitting 6m high, the wreck stands 2m high with a 3m scour at the stern.

Nationality:
British
Type of wreck:
Cargo
Propulsion:
Steamer
Weight (tons):
3411 grt
Dimensions (m):
107,35x13,74x5,24
Cause lost:
Collision
Date lost:
01/05/1906 [dd/mm/yyyy]
Date built:
1898
Builder:
Short Brothers Ltd.
Owner:
Seafield Shipping Co., London
Engine:
3 cyl trip exp
Power:
313 h.p.
Speed:

Depth (m):
30 max. / 24 min

BRAUNTON

Braunton: 4.575 ton 380ft British MerchantmanPosition: 50 38 54N; 00 10 45E, Depth, 30m Sunk:. 7th April 1916 Torpedoed by UB29Diving: Bows to the west stern stand 13m high, Cargo of Shells,1,800 tons Stern is intact on her port side, shell and ammunition all around.

Braunton Distance from Eastbourne: 11 miles
Sunk: 07/04/1916, on passage Boulogne to Newport, torpedoed by UB-29
Details: Steamship, British Merchantman, 116m by 15.2m, 4575 tons.
Depth: 30m
Diving: Bows to the west stern stand 13m high.