100
BEST
WRECK
DIVES
The countdown hits the halfway mark this month with the Mongolian in at Number 51. Kendall McDonald continues to lead us through the rankings
60 PLYMPTON AND HATHOR
Plympton: 2869-ton British steamer (pictured), built 1893. 314ft x 40ft. 256hp triple expansion engines. Cargo: 4100 tons maize, Rosario to Dublin, via Falmouth. Position: 49 53.00N; 06 20.48W (all positions are GPS).
Sunk: 14 August, 1909, by running on to Lethegus Rocks, St Agnes, Isles of Scilly in thick fog. Capsized later and sank, drowning two islanders engaged in salvage.
Hathor: 7060-ton German steamship, built 1912. 472ft x 61ft. 482hp 3-cylinder triple expansion engines. Cargo: Nitrate of soda, oil cake, Chile to Portland.
Sunk: 2 December, 1920, on Lethegus Rocks after breaking free from tow and dragging anchors.
Depth: 33m.
Diving: Plympton upside-down under Hathor, which lies crosswise. Hathor boilers clear at 25m. Plympton bows towards shore. Wreckage very tangled.
Launch: St Marys, Isles of Scilly.
59 MANINA
1333-ton Greek motor vessel, built 1947. 263ft x 40ft. Cargo: In ballast, Bergen to Glasgow. Position: 59 01.42N; 04 30.30W. Depth: 26-50m.
Sunk: 8 April, 1968, ran aground in storm on solitary rock of Stack Skerry, 30 miles off Orkney, badly smashed, slipped off and sank. Nine of 14 crew died.
Diving: Down rock gully tight to Stack Skerry. At 26m remains of bridge, midships and some engine room parts. Huge mast leads to bow at 43m. Stern with stainless steel prop at 50m.
Launch: Hardboat from Stromness, Orkney.
58 TOWARD
1218-ton British steamer, built 1899. 250ft x 35ft. Cargo: General, London for Belfast. Position: 51 07.73N; 01 25.03E. Depth: 25m.
Sunk: 31 October, 1915, by hitting mine in field laid by UC-6 off the Downs, north-east of Dover. One of four ships sunk in same field within four hours.
Diving: Bow broken from main wreckage by mine explosion on starboard side forward of bridge. Bow 10m clear of main wreckage, up-ended pointing towards surface, 8m proud. Beware unstable debris in break. The owners welcome divers, but not trophy-hunters.
Launch: St Margaret's Bay.
57 HMS NORTHCOATES
277-ton trawler, built for Royal Navy as George Corten in 1918. Became commercial fishing trawler 1921 as Zencon. Requisitioned as Naval minesweeper 1939. 125ft x 25ft. Position: 50 39.68N; 00 35.32W. Depth: 26m.
Sunk: 2 December, 1944, in heavy weather when under tow after engine failure.
Diving: Upright, slight list starboard. Sanded to gunwales. 12-pounder gun and shells on foredeck. Derrick on bow with sweep wire. Remains of twin machine guns on port side towards the stern.
Launch: Bognor, Littlehampton.
56 ABESSINIA
5753-ton German steamer, built 1900. 541ft x 51ft. 642hp triple-expansion engines. Cargo: General, Chile for Germany. Position: 55 38.78N; 01 36.27W. Depth: 10-20m.
Sunk: 3 September, 1921, after hitting Knivestone Rock in Farne Islands.
Diving: Largest wreck on Farnes. Very broken bow section, large anchor and chain lies at west side of reef. Big boiler clear of jumble of wreckage at 18m. Some portholes still to be found. Platework over wide area. Beware tides, dive only at slack.
Launch: Seahouses, Beadnell.
55 PERSIER
5382-ton Belgian steamer, formerly War Buffalo, built 1918. 400ft x 52ft. 517hp triple-expansion engines. Armed with 4.7in gun on stern, two 20mm Oerlikons amidships. Cargo: Powdered egg, tinned meat, baby food and soap for starving Belgians, Cardiff for Antwerp. Position: 50 17.00N; 03 58.15W. Depth: 28m.
Sunk: 11 February, 1945, by torpedo from UB-1017. 20 crew lost. Didn't sink immediately, and propeller cut two packed lifeboats in half.
Diving: Owned by Plymouth Sound BSAC. Bronze propeller and guns salvaged. Bow 10m proud. Lies on port side. Very broken amidships. Collapsed inwards. Three boilers clear near 2.5m anchor.
Launch: Challaborough, Thurlestone Sands.
54 THISTLEMOR
4008-ton British steamer, built 1906. 350ft x 51ft. 316hp triple-expansion engines. Cargo: Coal, Cardiff for Cape Town. Position: 51 04.07N; 04 24.28W. Depth: 20m.
Sunk: 3 December, 1909, by foundering in Bristol Channel off Clovelly in gale; 23 out of 30 crew lost.
Diving: Ribs stand proud, outlining wreck. Collapsed inwards. Big boilers and engine room machinery exposed. Deep scour round entire stern section. Beware hooks, lines and grapnels - much loved by anglers.
Launch: Appledore.
53 CITRINE
582-ton British steamer, built 1921. 165ft x 27ft. Cargo: In ballast, Belfast to Trevor. Position: 54 06.03N; 04 46.02W. Depth: 15m.
Sunk: 17 March, 1931, by running aground in thick fog. Ten of 12 crew lost.
Diving: Close to cliff, boiler and engine clear. Iron propeller in place. Bow section partly intact carrying spare propeller, winches, chain and anchor. Bow faces south and stern north. Many wrasse greet divers in hope of food being stirred up.
Launch: Port Erin, Isle of Man.
52 T R THOMPSON
3538-ton cargo steamer, built 1897. 360ft x 47ft. Armed with 4.7in gun on stern. 301hp triple expansion engines. Cargo: 5600 tons iron ore, Algeria to Middlesbrough. Position: 50 40.17N; 00 05.63E. Depth: 30m.
Sunk: 29 March, 1918, by single torpedo from UB-57. Three saved from crew of 36.
Diving: Superstructure collapsed. Highest point stern, stands upright and 14m proud. Big break amidships. Gun fallen into wreckage. Shellcases nearby. Sand encroaching. Bell recovered by Bromley BSAC in 1989.
Launch: Newhaven.
51 MONGOLIAN
4892-ton British cargo steamer, built 1891. 400ft x 45ft. 582hp triple-expansion engines. Cargo: General, London from Middlesbrough. Position: 54 10.92N; 00 08.33W. Depth: 32m.
Sunk: 21 July, 1918, by torpedo from UC-70. 36 of crew lost.
Diving: In one piece,upright, bow and stern intact. Sides collapsing in places. Holds open. Boilers and engines clear from top. Winches in position. Four anchors on decks. Masts lying crosswise. Beware silt.
Launch: Flamborough.
Appeared in DIVER - August 1999.
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