Simplified Wreck Survey
UK Hydrographic Office wreck survey details for the underwater wreck Volscian possibly located at coordinates 51 46.787 N, 1 41.812 E in the North Sea off the English coast near Longsand Head. Historical surveys from 1966 to 2016 identify a substantial underwater obstruction initially thought to be the yacht Endymion before being reassessed. Recent multibeam sonar surveys confirm the shipwreck lies on its port side in a general depth of 26 meters with a least depth of 21.8 meters. The structural dimensions of the wreck measure approximately 72 meters in length, 16 meters in width, and a height of 4.2 meters, featuring a strong magnetic anomaly and an extensive scour length of 150 meters. The medium-sized vessel is quite broken up with little superstructure remaining, positioned on a North-South orientation.
Surveying Details
H507/66 29.11.66 WRECK THOUGHT TO BE THAT OF THE YACHT 'ENDYMION' SUNK 2M E BY S OF LONGSAND HEAD BUOY IN APPROX POSN 514650N, 014212E. (SIGNAL MOD(N)). NCA. H4988/71 29.12.71 WRECK IN POSN 514647N, 014153E. SWEPT TO 20.0MTRS (10FMS 5FT). (HMS ENTERPRISE, SIGNAL DTD 9.11.71). BR STD. H4988/71 6.1.72 EXAM'D IN 514653N, 014158E [EUR] USING HIFIX [2 LOP]. LEAST E/S DEPTH 21.4 IN GEN DEPTH 23.0MTRS. SCOUR 32.4MTRS. WRECK LIES IN DEPRESSION BETWEEN TWO AREAS APPROX 7.0MTRS DEEPER THAN SURROUNDING BOTTOM. (HMS FAWN). BR STD. H5499/69 28.3.72 EXAM'D IN 514647N, 014154 [OGB] USING HIFIX [2 LOP]. SWEPT CLEAR 20.0, FOUL 20.5MTRS. LEAST E/S DEPT 22.2 IN 24-31MTRS. SCOUR 33.0MTRS. LENGTH ABOUT 500FT. LIES N/S. (HMS ENTERPRISE). NOT YACHT 'ENDYMION' BUT POSSIBLY 'VOLSCIAN' BUT MORE LIKELY BIGGER VESSEL. HH090/667/01 2.1.96 EXAM'D 24.7.95 IN 514647.36N, 014148.58E [WGD] USING DGPS. SWEPT CLEAR 21.6, FOUL 22.1MTRS. LEAST E/S DEPTH 22.3 IN GEN DEPTH 26.5-30.5MTRS. SCOUR DEPTH 0.5MTR. DCS3 HT 8.2MTRS. LENGTH 85MTRS, WIDTH 25MTRS. LIES 175/355 DEGS. LARGE MAGNETIC ANOMALY. WELL SCOURED IN, PROBABLY UPRIGHT. MANY TRAWL SCOURS. (OCEONICS, HI 667). NOT FULLY SWEPT, RETAIN AS SW 20.0MTRS IN REVISED POSN. BR STD. HH100/351/11 19.3.96 LARGE WK LYING ON ITS SIDE. HIGHEST POINT SOME 6MTRS ABOVE THE SEABED. VERY LITTLE SUPERSTRUCTURE WAS FOUND. IT COULD BE A BARGE, BUT DIFFICULT TO RECOGNISE. SOME WINCHES FOUND AT THE BOW. WK IS IN GOOD CONDITION AND WILL NOT COLLAPSE IN THE NEAR FUTURE. (BOB HICKINBOTTOM). NCA. SEP 2015/000083463 14.7.16 EXAM'D 23.2.16 IN 5146.787N, 0141.812E [WGD]. LEAST M/B DEPTH 21.8MTRS IN GEN DEPTH 26MTRS. LENGTH 72MTRS, WIDTH 16MTRS, HT 4.2MTRS, ORIENTATION 163/343. SCOUR LENGTH 150MTRS, 8MTRS DEEP, TOWARDS 193DEGS. STRONG MAGNETIC ANOMALY. WK LIES ON ITS PORT SIDE, MEDIUM SIZED AND QUITE BROKEN UP. (MMT, HI 1474). AMEND DW 21.5MTRS IN REVISED POSN.
General Comments
ON ITS SIDE, WELL SCOURED IN