100 Best Wrecks 21-30 - DIVERNET from Diver Magazine



100 BEST WRECK DIVES We're into the top 30 now, with some big names starting to emerge, though they have yet to yield all their secrets, as Kendall McDonald points out 30 MONARCH 1150-ton Post Office cable-laying steamer, built 1915, requisitioned by Admiralty in 1939. Third cable-layer to be called Monarch. 235ft x 33ft. Position: 50 05.90N;01 50.22E. Depth: 30m. Sunk: 16 April, 1945, by torpedo in starboard side from U-2324 (Kapitanleutnant Konstantin von Rapprad) while returning to Felixstowe from repairing Suffolk-Holland cable. Two crew lost. Diving: Owned by BT divers Alan and Fiona Beaumont (given to them as a wedding present). Upright, but very broken, draped in marine cable. Giant cable-laying rollers a major feature at bows. Launch: Felixstowe, Southwold. 29 LST 507 2366-ton US tank-landing ship, built 1943. 328ft x 50ft. Cargo: 16 Army trucks and landing craft on deck; 22 amphibious DUKWs in hold. Position: 50 27.15N; 02 43.55W. Depth: 50m. Sunk: 28 April, 1944, when taking part in Slapton Sands "Exercise Tiger" practice for Normandy invasion landing on Utah Beach. Torpedoed by 40-knot German E-boats based in Cherbourg, 202 US servicemen killed. Total US casualties in Exercise Tiger: 638. Diving: Bow almost completely capsized with entry ramp open to west. Stern lies 200m to south-east upside-down, showing twin four-bladed props and beach-landing skegs. Poking out from under stern is a crushed infantry landing craft. This is a war grave, so dive accordingly. Launch: Lyme Regis; Weymouth. 28 Frau Metta Catharina von Flensburg 53-ton Danish brigantine, built 1782. Cargo: Hemp and reindeer hides, Leningrad for Genoa. Position: 50 21.10N; 04 09.77W. Depth: 34m. Sunk: 10 December, 1786 in Plymouth Sound after hitting Drake's Island in southerly gale. Diving: In 1973 Plymouth Sound BSAC found bell on top of mud blanket over wreck. Holds revealed to contain hundreds of reindeer hides in excellent condition. Hides are now turned into shoes, handbags, belts and other goods to fund continuing excavation. Dived only with permission of Ian Skelton, project leader, and Glen Peacham, Plymouth Sound Diving Officer, on look-but-no-touch basis. Launch: Plymouth Sound. 27 Shirala 5306-ton British liner, built 1901. 410ft x 50ft. 387hp triple-expansion engines. Cargo: 213 passengers, 5000 tons general, 180 tons ammunition for Army, 1700 tons mail, including diamonds, London for Bombay. Position: 50 40.92N; 00 35.17W. Depth: 24m. Sunk: 2 July, 1918 by torpedo in port side from UB-57 (Oberleutnant Johann Lohs). Five crew killed. Diving: Maximum depth in front of boiler. Sand fills open holds. Bow and stern 7m proud. Much damage from explosives, crane and grab used in commercial salvage. Items found recently include binoculars, telescopes, wine, shell-cases, French perfume, brass clocks, medical equipment, elephant tusks and lorry spares, but diamonds and ship's bell still in wreckage! Launch: Littlehampton. 26 Wallachia 1724-ton British steamer, built 1883. 259ft x 36ft. Cargo: General, including chloride (on deck in stone jars), glassware, coal, spirits, beer, building materials, Glasgow for Trinidad. Position: 55 51.67N; 04 57.12W. Depth: 34m. Sunk: 29 September, 1895, by collision in fog with Norwegian steamer Flos. All saved. Diving: Upright and intact. Settled into mud seabed. Popular with Clyde divers, despite often low viz. Collision damage to be seen on starboard bow. Masts and derricks lie across holds crammed with bottles. Engine room can be visited via funnel hole. Take a big torch! Launch: Largs. 25 Pomeranian 4241-ton schooner-rigged Canadian steamer (formerly Grecian Monarch), built 1882. 381ft x 44ft. 316hp triple-expansion engines. Armed: 3in gun. Cargo: Government stores, including 16 hardhat divers' helmets, London to St Johns, New Brunswick. Position: 50 33.57N; 02 41.33W. Depth: 33m. Sunk: 15 April, 1918 by torpedo in port bow from UC-77 (Oberleutnant Johannes Ries). One survivor from crew of 56. Diving: Heavy list to starboard on rock and sand seabed. Some continuing collapse of central section. Torpedo damage gave access for recovery of two diving helmets, but one lost while lifting. Other 14 helmets await lucky divers. Bell recovered. Launch: Lyme Regis. 24 Hispania 1337-ton Swedish steamer, built 1912. 236ft x 37ft. 175hp triple-expansion engine. Cargo: Steel, asbestos, nylon rope, sheet rubber, Liverpool to Varberg, Sweden. Steel salvaged. Bronze prop gone too. Position: 56 34.95N; 05 59.15W. Depth: 30m. Sunk: 18 December, 1954 by hitting Sgeir More reef in Sound of Mull during storm. Captain went down with ship, all other crew saved. Diving: Intact and upright with slight list to starboard, covered in orange and white anemones. Superstructure, open holds, engine room and deck-houses all explorable. Bow towards Mull. Very popular. Dive at slack only. Launch: Oban, Lochaline, Tobermory. 23 Lucy 450-ton Dutch coaster, built 1964. 168ft x 28ft. 360hp oil engines. Cargo: Calcium carbide, Barry from Norway. Position: 51 44.45N; 05 16.55W. Depth: 38m. Sunk: 14 February, 1967 by hitting Cable Rock in Jack Sound, Skomer Island, then drifting with rising tide and finally sinking near North Haven in Skomer Marine Reserve. Diving: Intact, most-dived wreck in Wales. Only rubble in holds, but stern cabins, wheelhouse and engine room all worth inspection. Take care - there is silting and some bulkheads show signs of collapse. Launch: Broad Haven. 22 Alaunia 13,405-ton Cunard liner, built 1913. 520ft x 64ft. 1324hp quadruple-expansion engines. Cargo: 8,000 tons general, New York to London. 180 passengers landed at Falmouth. Of 166 crew, two killed. Position: 50 41.05N; 00 27.28E. Depth: 36m. Sunk: 19 October, 1916 by hitting a German mine. Two crew lost. Diving: Lying at 45° on her port side but remarkably intact. First 30m from bow almost perfect, more broken amidships and at stern. Anchor still hanging from chain at bow. Superstructure has slid down decks, wheel house lies 10m to port. Bow is 12m proud. Launch: Eastbourne, Bexhill. 21 Kyarra 6953-ton Australian steamer used as casualty-clearing ship, built 1903. 415ft x 52ft 770hp triple-expansion engines. Armed: 4.7in guns on stern. Cargo: 2600 tons general and Australian mails, plus hospital supplies and medical staff, Tilbury for Sydney, Australia, via Devonport to embark 1,000 Australian wounded. Position: 50 34.90N; 01 56.59W. Depth: 30m. Sunk: 26 May, 1918 by torpedo portside amidships from UB-57 (Oberleutnant Johann Lohs). Six crew killed. Diving: Stands 18m proud of rocky seabed, and is most dived wreck in Dorset. Many brass fittings. Holds still contain perfume, red wine, champagne, stout, vinegar bottles, sticks of red sealing wax, bales of cloth, rolls of lino, medical supplies. Recent finds include silver purses, men's pocket watches, ladies' gold watches. Dive at slack; beware strong tides. Launch: Swanage. Appeared in DIVER - November 1999.