Simplified Wreck Survey
Underwater Wreck Details: Position 50 40.794 N, 0 28.875 W, located approximately 7.5 miles SSE of Littlehampton in the English Channel. This historic shipwreck measures approximately 40 to 71 meters in length and 13 to 20 meters in width, lying in a general depth of 15 to 15.6 meters with a least depth of 9.9 to 10.36 meters. The severely degraded and broken-up iron vessel sits oriented along a 133/313 degree axis. Structural features identified through multiple surveys include a main boiler, steam engine, an auxiliary boiler, concrete debris, cargo hold mounds containing low-grade iron ore, and a spare iron propeller resting nearby on the seabed.
Surveying Details
H1287/75 27.10.75 UNKNOWN WRECK LOCATED 7.5 MILES SSE OF LITTLEHAMPTON IN 504039N, 002853W [OGB] USING DECCA. WK LIES IN 60FT OF WATER WITH A LEAST DEPTH OF 35FT. IT APPEARS THAT SALVAGE WORK HAS BEEN DONE ON IT A LONG TIME AGO. A 5FT IRON PROPELLER LIES ON THE WK WHICH COULD HAVE BEEN A SPARE. THE LENGTH OF THE WK IS BETWEEN 60FT TO 80FT. THERE IS ALSO A LARGE AMOUNT OF CONCRETE STREWN OVER WK. (E MOAR, MFV 'AWAMINTA', 10.9.75). CHART AS WK 5FMS 5FT OR 10.6MTRS. - NM 980/76. H4822/75 4.4.77 LOCATED IN 504045N, 002847W [OGB] USING HIFIX [2 LOP]. LEAST E/S DEPTH 10.7MTRS IN GEN DEPTH 14.5MTRS. SCOUR 1.2MTRS SCOUR. (FSL WATERWITCH, HI 73/76). AMEND TO WK 10.7MTRS IN REVISED POSN. NE 1652. 11.6.76 A COASTER WITH A CARGO OF LOW GRADE IRON-ORE AND BREAKING UP. (D DILLINGHAM, SUBSERVE). H1310/83/41 22.6.84 LOCATED IN 504043N, 002847W [OGB] USING DECCA. VERY OLD WK WITH LARGE BOILER & ENGINE STANDING 4MTRS HIGH. PROPELLER OLD SQUARE TIPPED TYPE. SPARE PROPELLER LIES ON SEABED OFF TO STBD OF WK. PILES OF IRON ORE WHERE HOLDS WERE. (VULCAN DIVING SERVICES, 19.6.84). NCA. HH091/002/01 14.11.02 EXAM'D 8.8.02 IN 5040.796N, 0028.885W [WGD] USING DGPS. SWEPT CLEAR 10.3, FOUL 10.5MTRS. LEAST E/S DEPTH 9.9 IN GEN DEPTH 15.6MTRS. NO SCOUR. LENGTH 40MTRS, WIDTH 20MTRS. DCS3 HT 4.5MTRS. LIES 170/350DEGS. MODERATE MAGNETIC ANOMALY. (NP 1016, HI 1002). INTACT. AMEND TO SW 9.9MTRS. BR STD. HH100/351/21 23.4.04 DIVED IN LISTED POSN. VESSEL WITH ONE BOILER AND ENGINE. SPARE IRON PROP. RIGGING DEADEYES NOTED AS BEING ATTACHED TO THE TOP OF PLATING ON THE PORT SIDE, THUS COULD BE SV CONVERED TO SS. SINGLE RAILWAY WHEEL OF 2FT DIAMETER LOCATED. (D MCDONAGH, EMAIL DTD 22.4.04). NCA. SEP 2018/000198963 13.08.18 EXAM'D 06.02.18; IN 5040.794N, 0028.875W [WGD]. LEAST M/B DEPTH 10.36MTRS IN GEN DEPTH 15MTRS, LENGTH 71MTRS, WIDTH 13MTRS, HEIGHT 5.1MTRS, ORIENTATION 133/313 DEGS. SEVERELY DEGRADED AND BROKEN UP. IDENTIFIABLE AMONGST THE DEBRIS IS A SINGLE MAIN BOILER WITH THE STEAM ENGINE TO THE NW, SUGGESTING THE BOW IS SE. NEAR TO THIS APPEARS TO BE A SPARE PROPELLER. SE OF THE MAIN BOILER IS A SMALLER AUXILLIARY BOILER. THE SHARP BOUNDARIES OF THREE LARGE MOUNDS OUTLINE THE POSITIONS OF THE CARGO HOLDS. SECTIONS OF THE VESSEL FRAME ARE SCATTERED AROUND. (MMT, HI 1498). AMEND DW 10.3MTRS IN REVISED POSN.
General Comments
SEVERELY DEGRADED AND BROKEN UP, BOILER WITH ENGINE TO NW AS HIGH POINT, SUGGESTS BOW SE.