Wreck Diving News

Seven divers made the trip to an undived wreck site today which lies 7 miles west of the Calf of Man in 64 metres of water. They were on board the dive charter boat Endeavour skippered by owner Steve Cowley.

The wreck was shotted about 50 minutes before low water at 11.00 a.m. Six divers went in at 11.30 and descended through excellent viz. However, this didn't last and past 50 metres it was dark and at the bottom the muddy seabed meant viz was limited to one to two metres - not good at 64 metres!

The shot was a short distance off the wreck and not all divers (including me) found their way onto the wreck. Divers, Dave Copley and Steve Knowles did find the wreck in the murk and meant a brief exploration of it. Later on the surface they reported that they thought the wreck might be that of a barge as no machinery or pipes, typical of a steamship, were seen by the pair. The hold also appeared empty.

Later, solo diver, Matt Renton, (and don't do this at home) was able to get down to the wreck after Steve Cowley was back on the boat. By the time Matt reached the seabed the viz had cleared from the earlier divers. He was able to explore more of the wreck and eventually headed back to the shot and ascended to begin his deco stops. When he had reached 30 metres he was observing a two minute stop when he looked around for jelly fish (they sting your face if you get in their way) when amazingly he saw a metal object within feet of him.

Now at 30 metres in a depth of 64 metres this is not what you would expect. He reached out and touched it and realised, as he saw it stretching down into the depths that it was a ship's mast! Incredible. Given the depth and height of the wreck this means the mast is 31 metres high. It is surprising that it has lasted all these years in such a position but is festooned in trawl nets. Indeed, as Endeavour was winching in the shot it jammed at mid water. A "bit of persuasion" free the shot and as it reached the surface a large piece of trawl net was attached.

Further passes over the wreck with Endeavour's sonar confirmed the presence of the mast and trawl nets. This means that the 50 metre long wreck is that of an iron or steel barque from the late 19th century. At 160 feet in length and with a 100 feet high mast it would be in the region of 500 tons - smaller than the Thracian but nonetheless very impressive and upright on the seabed.

What vessel is she? Well that is a good question. Nothing is in my database of over 1,200 wrecks. Answering this question may well keep me entertained for many an hour this coming winter - unless of course on a future dive an object is recovered which may speed her identification.

Poor weather put paid to doing anything more interesting. However, a visit to the Thracian is always enjoyable especially in good viz of 8 metres. The shot landed near the stern on the port side near to the aft mast. Swimming up the port side to the bow we passed all the masts and then reached the more intact and higher bow section which is impressive even if upside down. An object was observed off the port bow and on swimming off the wreck towards it it turned out to be one of the ship's large anchors. We continued the dive around the starboard side before reaching the stern and then back around to the shot. An enjoyable dive on an "old friend".

Today a new virgin shipwreck was first dived by divers from Castle Rushen Dive Club, including friends Adrian Corkill and Dave Copley.

The wreck sites lies 6 miles off Bradda Head in a depth of 63 metres and had previously been located by Adrian Corkill in his boat "Cooryn Marrey" from Castletown.

There was an early 5.30 a.m. start for the dive but the weather was good on a beautiful summer's morning. The wreck site was reached at 6.45 a.m. by the charter boat Endeavour skippered by the owner of Discover Diving, Steve Cowley.

All divers were using trimix with open circuit or rebreathers. The wreck was soon located and the shot dropped with precision onto the wreck ready for the slack water period at around 7.15 a.m.

Divers Adrian Corkill and Dave Copley were the first down the shot line and at about 55 metres the shape of the wreck came into view. Research by Adrian Corkill had suggested the wreck would be the motor vessel Moonlight lost on 9th September 1970 (see history of her loss at Wreck of the Week). However, this could not be taken for granted and the wreck could have been something else.

The two divers had only one plan - to find the ship's bell. The shot had landed right at the ship's bow in a perfect place for the hunt. However, searching around the bow there was nothing so they headed for the ship's wheelhouse aft. As they swam aft it became clear that the wreck was indeed the Moonlight as the wreck was that of a modern type coaster. The holds had steel sliding hatch covers still seen on today's coasters.

Reaching the steel wheelhouse the wreck could clearly be seen to be the Moonlight. The divers quickly searched around the wheelhose as other divers lamps could be seen in the gloom. Deciding the bell was not in the wheelhouse or attached to it the pair quickly made their way back along the hold to the bow section again. Then at 13 minutes into the dive Dave Copley let out a shout - audible at 59 metres - that he had spotted the bell at the base of the remains of the ship's mast. The two divers then had to act quickly as time was rapidly running out at such depth without incurring huge deco penalties.

The bell was bagged and then a lift bag attached and the bell was sent to the surface. The two celebrated for a few moments before at 16 minutes heading for the shot line which was close by. Then followed an impatient period carrying out the deco stops before getting back on board Endeavour to find the bell safely on deck.

A slightly deeper wreck at 44 metres to continue the work up to deeper and undived wrecks. The plankton stretched all the way to the seabed and the lights went off at 30 metres. The shot landed about 10 metres off the wreck near the starboard bow. A line was tied off to the wreck to guide divers and a strobe light fixed to the shot line.

Losing my buddy in the poor viz I made my way up the starboard side of the wreck to the bridge area and then the engines and boilers before turning around and heading back to the shot after 16 minutes at the bottom.

No fish around and only a few crabs and lobsters - it appears that the strong plankton bloom this year is keeping many fish away at present.

Quite a windy day with a northeast 4 to 5 wind and choppy seas. A party mostly from Castle Rushen divers descended to the wreck of the steamship Liverpool 4 miles off Langness. The plankton bloom is currently in full swing but the viz was reasonable at about 6 metres and not too dark. The shot was at the starboard side of the stern.

A swim around the wreck revealed two large commercial lobster pots that have been lost in the wreck recently. Fish life was fairly scarce but some reasonable sized calig swimming around.

First wreck dive of 2008 for Castle Rushen divers was on the wreck of the fishing vessel Fenella Ann. The wrecks lies close in to the Calf of Man - about 1/2 mile to the southeast, but is in quite deep water at 39 metres (low water). On descending to the wreck the viz turned out to be fairly poor at 4 metres due to the plankton bloom which is now in full swing.

The Fenella Ann sank as recently as 2002 and we expected her to still be intact. However, being of only wooden construction this was not certain. However, on reaching the wreck she was found to be still in one piece. The wheel house roof has collapsed though and the structure is now covered in marine life. Fish are relatively scarce with some pouting and the odd calig in residence.

The divers were taken to the wreck by Steve Cowley's new charter boat "Endeavour". One luxury that this boat brings is in the form of a diver's lift which will make diving with heavy kit on deep wrecks much more acceptable.

Another dive on the wreck of the steamship Romeo 12 miles northwest of Peel for members of Castle Rushen Divers club.

The sea was perfectly calm and over 12 basking sharks were spotted on the journey from Port St Mary in the club RIB, Explorer.

The shot landed in the break between the bow and aft sections - this wreck was blown in two by the torpedo from the German U-Boat U102.

The bow section was the target for this dive and a collection of fine artefacts from the wreck was recovered, including pottery (plates, bowls and an egg cup) and a deck prism light. All the pottery items were marked with the emblem of the Wilson Line of Hull.

Viz still isn't great and was about 4 metres on this silty wreck. Not much in the way of marine life was seen.

The first 50 metres + wreck dive of the year for the club and first trimix dive on the 52 metres deep Florence some 10 miles off the south coast of the Isle of Man. The shot landed right on the wreck next to the front of the boiler where the bridge was located. Viz was about 5 metres and the plankton was thick making the wreck dark despite diving the afternoon slack low water.

The first pair of divers down located and recovered the clapper from the ship's bell. The bell was recovered about 1995 by members of the Aquaholics dive club and the bell was always estimated to have come off the bow. But this find confirms that the bell came from the bridge amidships.

Little marine life on the wreck but fair numbers of pout and some wrasse hiding in the holes in the wreckage.

The dive proved to be a pleasant one and one which will progress onto deeper and new wrecks further out to sea.

The first wreck dive of the year for the club. At 39 m the Liverpool is used as the first build up dive for the deeper wrecks later in the season.

The club aims to dive three U-Boats off the south coast of the Isle of Man, try to identify them and take some video footage.

There are also many other wrecks waiting to be explores. In the last week the author has located a wreck 7 miles off the Calf of Man which is completely uncharted. Not a small wreck at 45 m in length and 5 m high. Candidates include the steamship Privet which disappeared off the Calf of Man during WW2.

Viz on the Liverpool was OK without being the 20 m viz which can be experienced on this wreck. The early season means that there are still few fish or crustaceans about. Nonetheless still an enjoyable dive on a very familiar wreck site.

A party from Castle Rushen Divers visited the wreck of the steamship Romeo today. The wreck lies 12 miles NW of Peel.

The Romeo, 1730 tons gross, was torpedoed by U102 on 3rd March 1918 when bound from Scapa in Scotland to Liverpool, ballast. She was a freezer ship at the time and was engaged in provisioning the Grand Fleet based at Scapa Flow.

The shot landed near to the bow in 48 metres. Viz proved moderate at about 6 metres and as expected the wreck was quite silty. Most divers stayed near to the bow looking but Adrian Corkill and Ed Bimson swam most of the length of the wreck which is split in two amidships.

One lucky pair of divers located some of the ship's crockery and lifted a number of plated which they had dug out from the silt.

Finally, the wreck off Spanish Head has been relocated in the last two weeks. Armed with the GPS co-ordinates Castle Rushen divers Andrew Garner, John Gulland, Steve Knowles, Adrian Corkill and Jeff Corkill descended onto the wreck at 9.00 p.m. as soon as slack occurred on the ebb tide. The shot landed about 5 metres from the wreck site. Viz was good at about 12 metres. The seabed here consists of small stones lying off the rocks which extend out from the cliff face.

The wreckage consists only of iron artefacts and all 19th century. Sorry but no Spanish galleon as yet! There is a large amount of anchor chain all concreted together, a fisherman's pattern anchor and a windlass. There are many other iron concretions in the seabed and some 15 metres away at the rock face.

From my database of 1212 shipwrecks there is only one suitable candidate and that is the wooden schooner Jane Brown, of Ardrossan, lost on 15th January 1862. Is it her?

An unknown wreck was dived today by Castle Rushen dive club divers Steve "Nobby" Knowles, Dave Copley and Adrian Corkill. It lies 17 nm southwest of Port St Mary and is in 64 metres of water. The wreck showed well on the sounder and is about 6 metres high. However on descending the shot viz proved to be appalling as the seabed considered of mud ooze. The wreck took a few minutes to locate using a line off the shot. The divers reached the wreck almost at the bow. Swimming aft they saw warp holders characteristic of steam trawlers. Further aft there was a large winch which only a steam trawler would possess. After this they were forced to return to the shot in the viz of 2 metres.

The wreck is heavily netted and with the poor viz is not one for revisiting in a hurry! However, Nobby returned with his usual "spidge" though this time an unimpressive and unidentified brass and leather object!

But it did prove to be a steam trawler. Sounder readings suggest she is in two pieces. This may have been caused by being torpedoed. As the steam trawler Waltham was lost between the Calf of Man and St John's Point in October 1917 and assumed sunk by a German submarine this wreck could well be her. (Please note that many years ago I thought the Waltham to be the wreck 8 miles south of Port St Mary. This is not the case as that wreck is a cargo steamer.)

Simply un-bell-lievable. That was the dive today. Eight divers from Castle Rushen Divers made the 25 nm mile journey from Port St Mary to the wreck of the steamship Lucy, lost in 1910, some 18 miles southeast of Douglas Head.

The shot was near to the stern and it did not take long to swim the length of this 27 metre long vessel. Viz was excellent at about 15 metres. A nice porthole and other artefacts were recovered from the forecastle area by a pair of divers. Unbeknown to them by their digging they had exposed the top of the ship's bell. The next fortunate diver to come along when the sediment cleared was Dave Copley and he put considerable effort into freeing his prize from the seabed. Not trusting a liftbag, Dave carried the bell all the way to the surface on his person. Well done Dave.

The bell confirms the identity of the wreck which due to its location and characteristic had always until now be assumed to be that of the Lucy.

The steamship Dundalk lies in 60 metres of water and was sunk in 1918 by a torpedo from a German U-boat which literally blew her into two sections and she sank in four minutes taking with her the majority of her crew.

A group of divers from the Castle Rushen club descended to her remains today. The shot was about 10 metres off the port bow and after a short swim to the right the divers could clearly see where the bow and stern section had broken from each other. The bow section lies over at 45 degrees whereas the stern section is much more upright. Swimming further aft revealed her two large boilers and then the long deck section leading to the stern. Viz was excellent at 12 to 15 metres and the wreck proved to be an enjoyable dive albeit the time on the bottom all too brief as usual despite using trimix.

Rushen Divers went to the site of another unknown wreck today located off the Calf of Man in 68 metres of water. Divers Dave Copley, Steve Cowley, Anne Corkill, Adrian Corkill, Tim Nicholson and Steve Knowles found the viz and light levels at this depth to be good. The seabed comprised of mud and shingle. The shot landed off the port side of the stern section which proved to be the highest point of the wreck. The stern section was also fairly intact but the steamship's forward sections were flattened. There was a large boiler and compound steam engine. Large amounts of coal indicated this vessels last cargo. Close inspection of the stern revealed that the propeller is missing and little brass was evident on the wreck.

The divers had to take great care around this wreck due to the large amount of trawl netting caught on it. Indeed, a vertical steel structure, possibly part of a mast, has snagged a large trawl net on it which extends upwards some 4 to 5 metres.

From the evidence gathered in this dive matched to historical facts this wreck is thought to be that of the steamship Calista, of Glasgow, 229 tons gross, lost in January 1919 while on a voyage from Preston to Dublin with a cargo of coal. Due to stormy weather she sheltered off the Point of Ayre for a few days before proceeding down the west coats of the Isle of Man. None of her ten crew survived and the ship's lifeboat was washed ashore at Langness. It is thought that she may have been a victim to a German mine form the recently ended Great War and dislodged by the storms.

Six divers (Steve Cowley, Dave Copley, Ed Bimson, Steve Knowles, Adrian Corkill and guest diver Miguel) from Rushen Divers BSAC branch today descended to an unknown wreck off the Calf of Man lying in 65 metres of water.

They found the wreck to be intact and lying upright on her keel in a seabed of thick mud. This meant that visibility was severely restricted especially when the mud had been disturbed. The shot had landed off the wreck and 7 minutes had elapsed before the wreck was located in the poor viz.

Turning left the divers headed for the bow and then turned to go to the bridge near to the stern passing by two empty cargo holds. At the bridge area the ship's telegraph was located and lifted by airbag. The deteriorated ship's compass was also noted but left on the bottom. Other artefacts were present. All too quickly it was time to head for the shot and go through the long decompression stops.

The steamship Downshire, of Belfast, 337 tons gross, was lost on 20th February 1915 after being stopped by the German submarine U30. The U-boat crew then dispatched the Downshire with bombs placed in her holds.

The wreck of the Liverpool remains a firm favourite for the club and Sunday saw a dive at low water. The wreck lies in about 39 metres of water and the engine stands about 4 metres off the seabed.

Again the viz was good at between 12-15 metres. The dive was fairly routine with most divers using nitrox to reduce narcosis and decompression times.

Return to the Florence for a larger group from Rushen Divers! This time the shot landed 5 metres off the starboard bow of the steamer into the sand. A quick search around with the torch soon revealed the looming shape of the wreck apart from our pair of lady divers who failed to locate the wreck, spent a fortune of trimix for no wreck, but did find some interesting wildlife in 52 metres of water some 10 miles off the Manx coast. Your names are safe with me Anne and Lara.

The club's "lucky diver in residence" managed to defy all logic again and found a selection of finds, including a nice glass tumbler and an ornate brass hook. It is sobering to thing that the tumbler was probably used by a crew member on the night that the Florence was lost.

There wasn't much in the way of marine life on the wreck, the fish shoals seem missing at present.

All in all it proved a nice dive in surprisingly good viz at about 8 metres, despite the plankton bloom.

This intact wrecks sits upright on her keel about 10 miles south of Port St Mary. The bell was recovered in 1995 but since then dives on her have been few and far between so a small group composing of Dave Copley, Adrian Corkill, Ed Bimson and Steve Knowles aided by Anne Corkill, decided to dive this wreck which sits in 53 m at low water. All divers were using trimix in open circuit with nitrox in stage cylinders for decompressing.

On going down the shot the divers found it off the port side of the steamer near to the bow. Making their way aft the forward hold was seen to contain coal. The boiler and engine were then seen sitting amidships. Swimming down the ship produced the aft hold, again with coal, before the stern was reached. An inspection of the stern quickly revealed that her propeller is missing, presumably removed by salvers at some point. Evidence of this is that the rudder is also missing and would have been blown off so that the propeller could be removed.

The configuration of the Florence with her machinery midships with two holds is unusual for a vessel of her size most of which would have machinery aft and one large hold.

The first proper wreck dive of the year saw a group of 12 divers from Rushen Divers head out in their RIB Explorer to the wreck of the Peveril some 14 miles off Douglas Head. Despite the extensive and heavy dive kit of 12 divers, plus the divers and a boat handler, the RIB still achieved a very credible speed in the region of 30 knots. Seas were calm with a slight swell from the south so the journey out to the wreck from Port St Mary was over in 45 minutes.

Viz on the wreck proved to be good and was in the region of 10 metres with the plankton bloom not affecting the diving as much as would be expected. The shot landed on the port side of the wreck just next to a nice blue and white tiled floor of a lavatory room. Most divers headed initially for the stern section and bottles of various types and sizes proved to be plentiful. Others explored the engine and boiler and further forward to the cargo hold. One lucky diver found a remarkably preserved electric light complete with an unbroken Eddison hand blown light bulb!

14.08.2005. Unknown steamer off Port St Mary

The unknown wreck first visited on 27th July was paid another visit by Castle Rushen divers in an attempt to gather more clues as to identity. Viz was again excellent and the entire wreck was covered. Further details will be in the talk on 14th October. A few days later, a second unknown wreck was dived 11 miles south of Port St Mary. This wreck was previously thought to be the paddle tug PT1 lost in 1917. The wreck lies in 63 metres of water and trimix was used in an eventful dive in good viz. Again details will be made public in the talk on 14th October when the results of some wreck detective work will be revealed!

05.08.05. ss Liverpool

Divers on the BSAC expedition organised by Howard Barnes visited the well-known wreck of the steamship Liverpool 4 miles southeast of Langness on Friday 5th August. Visibility on the wrecks was truly excellent and exceeded 20 metres. The shot landed just aft of the engine on her starboard side and divers covered all aspects of the wreck. Several large conger eels were seen and calig (pollack) circled in shoals around the wreck. At the end of the dive upon moving up the shot line nearly all of the wreck could be seen laid out below which is a sight not to be forgotten in a hurry.

01.08.2005. ss Limesfield

An expedition to this First World casualty was conducted by Castle Rushen Divers on 1st August. The wreck lies 18 nm off Clay Head in approximately 42 metres of water. The shot weight landed right in the aft hold immediately by her central bridge area. Viz was good at 15 metres but was reduced by divers due to the silty nature of the seabed at this wreck site. The wreck was thoroughly explored and she remains largely intact. Towards the bow, the damage caused to her hold plating by the bombs placed there by the U-boat crew, can be seen. Fish life was prolific on the wreck. One luck diver recovered a complete oil lamp in A1 condition.

27.07.2005. Unknown steamer off Port St Mary

Divers Dave Copley, Steve Knowles and Adrian Corkill assisted by boat handler Dave Clugston, all from the Castle Rushen BSAC dive club travelled out to the site of a wrecked steamer about 8 miles south of Port St Mary on Wednesday 27th July.

This site was previously thought to be of the steam tug Vivid lost in 1892 but a dive in excellent viz helped solve the identity of the wreck. Full details of this wreck site will be covered in a talk to be held on the evening of Friday 14th October 2005 at the Manx Museum. Other rarely visited and virgin wreck sites will be covered in this talk and all are welcome to attend. It will also be broadcast later on Manx Radio. Besides myself, other speakers will be Captain Brew, Receiver of Wreck and Dr Fiona Gell, Wildlife and Conservation Officer of the Department of Agriculture and Fisheries.

23.07.2005 mfv Don Bosco

Another wreck diving report from local diver Tom Martin of the new Wreckers and Reefers dive club:

Tom Martin, Paul Ramsbottom, Barry Mills and Toby Marshall left Port St Mary at 11 a.m. on Saturday and travelled round to the site of the Don Bosco, which is just north of Bradda Head.

As the wreck is quite small it took us two attempts to shot the wreck so we were happy with it. As it was the shot landed 4m of the stern. So Tom and Paul dragged it a bit closer before setting off on their tour of the wreck. The bottom was at 38m and went to 38.5 at the bow. Lots of fish life was observed, including congers, calig (pollack) and lobsters. The sea bed is quite silty, so the viz was about 8m at best. This dropped considerably when Paul was interfering with a lobster or two.

The wreck itself is sitting upright and intact. She is covered with deadman's fingers and makes for a wonderful dive. The large 'A' Frame at the back of the boat is still attached and adds to the impression of an intact wreck. As the Don Bosco is quite small we were able to make a couple of laps and only rack up a small amount of deco.

Toby & Barry were next down the line, and took a similar route. All in all the Don Bosco makes a great dive.

09.07.2005 ss Ringwall

A wreck diving report from local diver Tom Martin of the new Wreckers and Reefers dive club:

An early start was required by Ms Goodhead divers Tom Martin, Paul Ramsbottom, Barry Mills and Toby Marshall. We left Port St Mary harbour at 7 a.m. on Saturday 9th July to dive the wreck of the steamship Ringwall, which lies approximately 4 nm off the coast of Port Erin. Ms Goodhead has received a new Plotter/Sounder over the winter so the Ringwall was found with little difficulty, the bottom was showing to be 41m and rose to 35m directly over the wreck.

An early Sunday morning start for divers from Castle Rushen Divers saw them leaving Port St Mary at 7.55 a.m. bound for the wreck of the steamship Peveril lying 14 miles southeast of Douglas in 38 metres of water. Weather conditions were good with only a light northerly wind. The wreck was shotted and diver went in about 9.15 a.m. Viz was OK at about 7 metres but it was dark on the wreck due to the large amount of plankton still around in the water. Divers were able to explore all around the wreck which is quite flattened with the highest point at 4 metres being the ship's boiler. Plenty of conger eels and lobsters observed together with calig (pollack) and cod.

Divers from Castle Rushen divers visited the wreck of the steamship Liverpool today in good conditions. Viz proved to be excellent at 20 metres which makes diving wrecks off the Isle of Man a real pleasure. The shot landed just off the starboard side of the stern and the Liverpool's magnificent stern section complete with free-standing propeller and rudder was immediately visible. My dive took me on to the top of the stern section before moving forwards and dropping down in depth before reaching the large triple-expansion engine. Two brass gauges complete with glass were observed. I then swam between engine and boiler and went up the port side of the wreck until reaching the forward hold. Then it was back all the way along her starboard side until the shot was reached. A pleasant dive.

A small group of divers from Castle Rushen divers made the short trip around from Port St Mary to the wreck of the barque Thracian off Fleshwick Bay on Sunday. Conditions were moderate with mist. Viz looked promising as the shot was let go. However, arrival at the seabed indicated viz of 4-5 metres as the silty seabed was being disturbed by the tide. The shot landed just off one end of this 90 metres long sailing ship from the 1890s. She is more or less complete but lies upside down with her keel uppermost. Inspection of this end of the wreck revealed it to be the stern as the pintels for the rudder could be clearly seen together with the guard which would have protected the rudder. The latter is missing as when the ship turned over it would have fallen off as it rudders of this type were only held in place by gravity. Swimming forward on the port side of the wreck (starboard side of the vessel) the three mighty masts were seen lying along the seabed. Close to a metre wide at the base they are massive steel structures. After covering more of the hull which is broken up in places allowing a look in with a torch, the divers returned to the shot line for ascent to the surface incurring perhaps 5 minutes of deco stops. Maximum depth achieved was 33 metres at low water and the sea temperature was between 8 & 9 centigrade - chilly!

"On Friday took the opportunity of calm seas over here to dive a local wreck; east of Maughold Head, but actually a lot closer to Ravenglass. Despite the mild southeasterlies, it was pretty choppy when we got that far out and had some difficulties locating the wreck in the pitching RIB. However, did find it at; 54°14.161’ N 003° 36.280’ W. Local fishermen from Ravenglass call this wreck the "Schooner".

Descended through nice clear water, but a few metres off the bottom encountered suspended fine silt cutting the viz down to ~ 0.5 metres. Also, when we got to the bottom my buddy’s torch failed! Did a quick look anyway and found the shot landed on the southwest side of the wreck close to what appears to be the bow (so the wreck is pointing south). Followed the starboard side of the wreck north towards the stern, past a single small boiler (but didn't look to see if there was another next to it!) Ended up on what appeared to be the stern, which was flattened and heavily netted. Dived at slack water so stirred up silt was a problem which alongside the poor viz and failed torch caused us to abandon the dive at this point. Max depth reached 35 metres. From what we could see, the whole wreck is collapsed and sunk into the mud, with only hull plates and the boiler standing clear. This is an old steamship; my best guess would be a steam trawler.

If we do it again it will be off-slack and with a decent torch! I'd still like a proper look around despite the poor conditions."

Divers Steve Cowley and Dave Copley, assisted by Adrian Corkill, today dived the wreck of the steamship Dundalk 17 nautical miles south of Port St Mary. The wreck lies in approximately 60 metres of water so the divers were using trimix to safely dive this sort of range. The shot landed about midships and despite the dark and low visibility condition, the two divers made a complete inspection of the wreck.

The Dundalk was a victim of the German U-boats during the First World War and she was sunk right at the end of the war on 14th October 1918 by UB123 and U90. She was so shattered by the attack that she sank instantly.

The wreck is largely upright and intact but aft of the boiler the hull is split caused by the massive torpedo explosion and the stern section is angled at 45 degrees. The ship's gun was seen to one side lying on the seabed. The boiler was large - over 6 metres in diameter. The cargo holds are empty and the bow section is quite flat. Large lobsters and congers were noted, but the most notable feature was the abundance of marine animals attached to the wreck which appears white out of the gloom.

A team of divers from the clubs Rushen Divers and Manx Divers made the long trip from Peel to the wreck of the Inkosi some 11 miles north of the Point of Ayre and within sight of the Scottish coast.

Diving commenced at 4.15 pm with a variety of techniques being employed ranging from air to trimix to rebreathers with trimix. The shot line landed towards the stern of the this large steamship sunk by U96 in 1918. The vessel lies on her starboard side with the port side at 38 metres and the seabed at 50 metres.

Viz was good at about 12 metres. Many divers made for the hold towards the stern which holds the remains of the 300 tons of general cargo which she was carrying to Brazil. Here items such as plain white ceramic potties, plates, coffee jugs, teapots and cups were recovered together with medicine bottles with contents and the remains of brass lamps.

Some divers reported an intact stern completed with accommodation areas. Further forward tons of her coal cargo could be seen strewn all over the wreck. Near to the shot line lay a large toilet!

One diver had an unfortunate incident. A leaky suit and a long decompression time led to him becoming hypothermic. As he also apparently displayed some signs of decompression sickness upon coming back on board the dive boat, the duty doctor with Liverpool Coastguard recommended his immediate transfer to Nobles Hospital. An RAF rescue Sea King helicopter from Prestwick was launched to recover him from the directly from the dive boat. He was treated for hypothermia at the hospital and has made a speedy recovery with no signs of decompression sickness.

A deepy! The trimix divers loved this one. The Norwegian iron steamship Manchester (ex-Glanwern), 915 tons gross, general cargo, foundered following a collision with the steamship Frieda in November 1905, in a position 12 miles south-southwest of Langness.

The shot landed in the ship's hold and the first pair of divers to the wreck on rebreathers using trimix moved the shot to a high point on the wreck at about 54 metres. The rest of the group followed, some on air, keeping to 57 metres, whilst trimix open circuit divers went to the seabed at 63 metres to observe the ship's propeller and sleek counter stern. They also noted a succession of square portholes all around the stern, presumably to let light into the passenger accommodation situated there. The ship's wheel was noted on the bridge but in a poor condition as well as a ceramic sink close by.

The most noticeable feature of the dive was the absence of cargo in the hold. It can only be assumed that her general cargo from Oslo consisted of perishable materials long since washed or rotted away.

"Wreck Week" continued with a group of divers making the visit to the wreck of the steamship Lucy lost 18 miles off Douglas in 1910. Although a small steamship of 155 tons gross and just 28 metres in length, she would prove an intriguing wreck having hardly ever been dived before. The shot lay just off the starboard side of the boiler and a 10 m swim was required to reach the wreck which proved to be covered in shoals of pout and calig (pollack). Large lobsters were everywhere. Just ahead of the boiler, where the bridge would have collapsed to, was the ship's wheel. However, it was too well caught up in wreckage and could not be freed. The ship's telegraph lay not far away and was recovered. A short swim took the divers to the bow of the steamer which was much collapsed. Moving back to the stern this area was more intact and the compound steam engine could be observed. A couple of portholes were sent to the surface, one quite unusual in having a domed shaped glass. Another interesting artefact was a candle holder bearing the logo of "Usher's Whisky" and "OVG". Made by S Fielding, of Stoke, this company ceased trading with this name about 1906. This date would match with a ship lost in 1911 and built in 1899. No positive identification but nothing to suggest an identity other than the Lucy.

Today it was reported that a team of divers from the UK aboard the charter dive boat Castaway had recovered a bell off the bow of the steamship Inkosi sunk by torpedo in 1918 off the Point of Ayre. The 12 inch high bell was marked with the the ship's name and the builders name "Hall Russell, of Aberdeen" and the date "1902". There was never any doubt that this is the wreck of the Inkosi due to her size and location but the recovery of the bell makes a 100% identification. It is also reported that the main bridge bell was recovered by a team of divers from Ireland some time ago.

A group of divers from the club Rushen Divers plus two guest (including myself) dived the wreck of the steamship Ringwall lost with all hands on 27th January 1941.

Viz was reasonably good at about 10 metres. The shot line landed just off the starboard side of the wreck. Moving aft the bridge section was found to be fairly intact although leaning to starboard. Going towards the stern the tiled floor of the lavatory area was seen together with the galley area. At the stern the prop and rudder were clearly visible. Moving forward again the mid sections of the ship around the hold are very collapsed being the weakest part of the ship. Then the bow section was encountered. Again leaning to starboard it is slowly collapsing. Both the midsections and bow are partly covered with a lost commercial fishing net. Sadly, it still damages wildlife and the body of a seal was caught up in it. Maximum depth reached was 42 metres before heading back to the shot for a long decompression stop.

10 a.m. on a cold and damp Saturday, the divers Steve Cowley, Dave Copley, Steve Knowles, Godfrey Clayton and John Gulland busy themselves with the final equipment checks before loading all the equipment onto the boat. In the background out two crew for the day Linda Knowles and Chris Gulland, go through the boat checklist.

Low water is 1.00 p.m. We left the confines of Port St Mary harbour at 10.45 a.m. giving ourselves plenty of time to complete the 22 mile run out to the wreck. With flat calm seas, a mere 40 minutes later, we are there. Within a minute the wreck was located and in went the shot, finding it’s way to the wreck 57m below us.

It was time to get the open circuit trio of John, Steve K and Godders in, their job to secure the shot to the wreck, before searching through the wreckage. Next in Dave Copley and Steve C, both using Inspiration rebreathers. We planned a minimum bottom time of 30 minutes. At about 40m it started to go dark, and so on came the lighting. We could just about make out a dark shadow below us. A minute later we had prepared the shot, which had landed a foot from the hull, for lifting at the end of the dive.

We oriented ourselves on the wreck, and headed left. We arrived at the bow, the huge winch gear still clearly visible. Now it was time for the 300ft+ swim to the stern, stopping briefly to dispatch a porthole to the surface. Much of the mid section is fairly broken, further aft there is evidence of an explosion, a sheet of metal plating complete with a large hole, you can see where the steel has been peeled back by the blast. Onward to the stern, Dave has a brief look at a propeller while I was having a look around the highest point of the wreck at about 50m.

It was time to go, our 30 minute bottom time was up. 40 minutes later we broke the surface. Back on board John was already up, quickly followed by Steve And Godders, they had made use of Nitrox to speed up the decompression after the trio’s 25 minute bottom time. We headed off home, listening to the tales of the dive.

(Note: the steamship Skerries was lost on 4th November 1916 after hitting a mine laid by the German U-Boat U80. The master and one crewman were lost. Forty-four survivors rowed to the Isle of Man in the ship's boats).

Many thanks to Linda and Chris for sitting on the boat in the pouring rain waiting for us!

We are trying to get a group of like minded individuals together to get out there and explore some more of the islands wrecks, if your interested give me a call 07624 482002, we will also be running a Trimix course over the winter too.

“MV Ms Goodhead” divers Tom Martin, Paul Ramsbottom and Toby Marshall along with tank bitch / surface watcher Wee Barry Mills headed out of Douglas harbour at 11:15 a.m. on a showery Sat morning in the direction of the wreck of the steamship Ballina.

Thanks to Adrian Corkill’s very accurate GPS co-ordinates the Ballina was soon spotted on the sounder. After a few passes we had orientated ourselves with how the wreck lies and made the slow pass to drop the shot line and marker buoy. Ms Goodhead was then tied to the Buoy (by super knot tier Tom) and the pre dive fags were smoked while those diving kitted up slowly whilst waiting for slack water. As Wee Barry had a cold he was volunteered to crew while the divers formed a cosy threesome.

Tom, Paul and Toby descended the shot line in 7-8m visibility, by 20m I think most of us wished we had brought our torches as it was particularly dark and eerie. At 25m the boiler emerged from the gloom, It seemed that more by luck then judgment we had landed the shot slightly behind the boiler and the line took us right across the boiler to amidships. (The shot was sitting on the sand at 32m)

The whole wreck is covered with “dead men’ s fingers” and various anemones and the fish life surrounding the wreck is amazing! There were shoals of calig and bloghan, numerous varieties of wrasse along with flatfish hiding out in the sand around the wreck. All in all it seems the Ballina is a magnet for marine life in the area.

The wreck seems to be sinking slowly into the sandy bottom, but there are still some excellent features to see. We made a full lap of the wreck taking in the Prop, and sections of decking and railing and then went on lobster/crab hunt around the boiler area (We never turn down the chance of a free feed!). A lobster was spotted by Tom but it had set up home too far into the boiler so it avoided the pan of boiling water.. until next time! There were also a number of crabs, however, they seemed to outsmart Paul easily…

The lift bag was then attached to the shot weight half filled with air for retrieval later and we ascended slowly to the surface, whilst we were making our safety stop Paul and Tom noted (in the usual random sign language) that the boat was no longer attached to the buoy.. upon surfacing Wee Baa was seen floating a few meters away and informed Super knot tier Tom that Ms Goodhead had slipped its mooring.. oops, I best practice more knot tying over the winter then!

Thankfully the “calculations” (hummmm… if you can call them that) with the lift bag and shot line we perfect and the shot came up without a problem…great. After a few cups of Coffee and fags, three very satisfied divers and one rather cold tank bitch headed back to a now rainy and quite chilly Douglas Harbour.

Conditions: Cloudy sky, flat calm sea, 14’c, 3 - 5mph northerly wind, low water 1pm

The morning was the type that divers dream of - calm winds and mirror calm. Divers Clive Williams, Gary Smith, Steve Lace and Adrian Corkill set off from Douglas harbour at 7.30 am for the wreck of the Isle of Man Steam Packet steamship Peveril which was lost following a collision in 1899. The wreck lies about 14 nm southeast of Douglas Head in 41 metres of water.

The spring tides reduced visibility somewhat, but still a respectable 10-12 metres until the seabed was disturbed. The shot landed on the starboard side of the ship right at the stern. The wreck is fairly flat but a fascinating wreck nonetheless with plenty to interest the diver.

Very large lobsters were prevalent as the divers made a circuit around the wreck. The most memorable for the latter pair of Adrian Corkill and Steve Lace was the sudden appearance of a large ling of about 20 lbs close to them to the rear of the boiler.

On the evening of Sunday 10th August 2003 a team of four from the Aquaholics Diving Group dived the WWII U-boat U246 which lies about 26 miles south of Port St. Mary. A good trip out (thanks to skipper Phil Corlett) was improved upon with the shot landing in a tear in the hull just aft of the bow section. A doorway in the bulkhead allowed a view inside one compartment which was heavily silted. The dive was almost in total darkness from about thirty metres and actual visibility was not good.

The boat lies almost completely on her starboard side but an all too short bottom time prevented a complete circumnavigation. The portside hydroplane was easily recognisable as were torpedo tubes, on the bow section. The conning tower was partially buried although the outer hatchway (open) was visible. The D/F aerial and periscope tube were also seen.

Strong currents combined with the depth and darkness made this a particularly challenging dive but nonetheless a privilege to be able to view such a piece of history and the grave of 48 men. The divers were Geoff Farrant, Quentin DeBacker, Dave Parsons and Pete Lowe.

An early start for divers Dave Copley, Dusty Miller, Steve Lace and Adrian Corkill saw them heading up to an unknown wreck off the Point of Ayre ready to dive the slack water over high water at 10.10 a.m.

Viz proved to be excellent at 12 metres or more. The shot had landed on the starboard side of the wreck. The wreck is that of a steamship of approximately 300 tons and lies on her keel but with a list of 45 degrees to her port side.

Her anchor chain and winch were seen near to the bow. Moving back along to the stern the long single hold was passed, there being no evidence of what cargo she might have been carrying. Towards the stern the large boiler is encountered. Much of her bridge has tumbled down onto the seabed off her port side. The stern, rudder and propeller are shattered perhaps hinting at some catastrophic event that led to her demise. Congers and lobsters abound.

Both sets of divers fully investigated the wreckage for clues as to the identity of the ship. Clues from previous dives would lead to her dating between 1890 and 1920 and is likely a Great War casualty.

The long summer evenings provide the opportunity for evening wreck dives when the tide and weather allow.

Divers Steve Taggart, Steve Lace, Adrian Corkill and Dusty Miller left Laxey in order to dive the wreck of the steamship Ballina at the slack water at around 8.00 p.m.

Diving proved excellent with a long slack period and excellent viz at 20 metres. However, jellyfish are numerous at the moment and prove a nuisance.

The shot landed to the port side of the engine and allowed a complete circum navigation of the wreck site. Plenty of fish life with the fairly rare flatfish topknots inhabiting the wreck in numbers. Several ling were seen, together with the usual conger eels. pouting shoals and calig (pollack).

A strong northwesterly wind prevented a dive on a wreck further offshore, but the waters to the southeast of the Calf of Man were sheltered enough to allow a dive on the wreck of the scallop trawler Fenella Ann which sank in November 2002.

The wreck proved to still be intact, but it soon became apparent that two major changes had occurred since over the spring and early summer. Firstly, her upper structure are now covered in quite profuse marine growth and secondly a scour is developing around her hull, especially on her starboard side and around her stern.

The cabin door has been smashed open by someone, but is jammed in the door frame so access to the wheel house is still not possible.

Her hold still contains ropes and some mollag (marker buoys). Surprisingly there are a number of live scallops on the deck around the gunnel.

Divers Steve Lace, Dusty Miller, Paul Ramsbottom and Adrian Corkill had an enjoyable dive in excellent viz at about 15 metres.

The were two separate dive incidents involving visiting wreck divers in the last week.

Firstly, on Sunday 22nd June Port Erin Lifeboat was launched at 1.35 p.m. to assist a charter boat normally based at Whitehaven which had been chartered by a group of visiting divers from Cumbria. Whilst diving on the wreck of the steamship Ringwall, some 4 miles WNW of Bradda Head, one of the divers blacked-out on the ascent up the shot-line and sank back down deeper. Luckily, the tide was slack and his buddy was able to make an effective rescue and the injured diver was got back on board the dive vessel, which was escorted back to Port Erin by the Lifeboat.

The injured diver was taken to the hyperbaric chamber in Douglas and is reported to have recovered but is unlikely to be able to dive in future. It is thought that he may have had a pre-existing medical condition.

In the second incident, a visiting diver from Bradford was amongst another party of visiting divers who also dived the wreck of the Ringwall on Tuesday 24th June. Port Erin Lifeboat was launched at 3.00 p.m. when the diver was reported to have surfaced in trouble. He was transferred to the hyberbaric chamber in Douglas and later Noble's Hospital. It is reported that he is suffering from a spinal bend. It is not known how the incident occurred, but there is the suggestion that the diver may have had to cut his decompression time short.

In a further incident, the charter dive boat involved in the first dive incident also ran aground on Port Erin beach on Saturday 28th June in a force 5 northwest wind after having been at anchor in the Bay. She was refloated the next high tide.

This wreck was first thought to lie off Port St Mary, but in fact lies 24 miles off Douglas. The wreck of a tug off Port St Mary dived last September (see below) must now be that of the Vivid, an iron steam tug lost in 1892.

The iron steam tug Flying Meteor foundered in 1874 so it was expected that her wreck would be fairly sparse and buried. Divers Gary Smith and Adrian Corkill found this to be true and the wreck is very silted up. The highest section at about 3 metres is the central machinery/boiler/bridge area. Both the bow and stern sections are very broken and largely buried in the seabed which is a mixture of sand and fine silt. Virtually every piece of wreckage is covered in "dead mans fingers".

The first dive of 2003 was on a beautiful winters day, bright and cold but calm with sunshine in the morning. Divers Steve Taggart, Steve Lace, Gary Smith and Adrian Corkill descended the 40 metres to the wreck of the trawler Fenella Ann which sunk 0.5 nm southeast of the Calf of Man in November 2002. Visibility was good at 8 metres and the water temperature a chilly 9 degrees Celsius. The condition of the wreck had not altered too much since November but care must be taken with so many ropes etc floating around the wreck.

At 11.00 am on Saturday 27th December a service was held at the Sound to commemorate the 150th anniversary of the brig Lily disaster in December 1852. The service was led by the Revd Canon Dr Hinton Bird of Rushen Church and included "The Brig Lily Song" sung by Phil Gawne. At the end of the service a wreath was placed at the site of the Commemoration plaque to remember the deaths of 33 men, 4 of them from the Lily and 29 local men attempting to salvage her cargo afterwards.

With the permission of the insurers of the scallop trawler Fenella Ann and under the supervision of her skipper Vincent Lamont, divers Steve Lace (despite forgetting to bring his weight belt!), Steve Taggart and Adrian Corkill descended to the wreck to inspect the damage done to the hull by her hitting rocks off the Burroo the previous Saturday. The wreck had been located about half a mile off the southeast coast of the Calf of Man in 41 metres of water on a sandy and stony seabed. Viz was good at about 8 metres and the Fenella Ann was found to be resting on her keel and listing slightly to starboard. There was extensive damage to the port side of her stem and several planks had sprung which was the cause of her foundering. No other damage to the hull was seen. Her catch of 42 bags of scallops was strewn around both deck and the seabed off her starboard quarter. Many of the bags were still intact but some of the shellfish were dead and all were contaminated with the diesel which is still leaking from her fuel tanks.

If she remains on the seabed this wreck will undoubtedly make a superb dive site in the next few years until she begins to break up.

Please note that no divers should touch or recover any items from this wreck at present until her future has been determined by the insurers.

Members of the Solway Sub-Aqua Club dived the wreck of the WW1 steamship Inkosi which lies north of the Point of Ayre on Saturday 21 September. The viz on the wreck proved poor. Considerable effort was expended in recovering a valuable artifact from the wreck. As soon as the it was released from its hold on the wreck, the porthole fell deep inside the wreck. The divers followed and eventually got it to the surface on a lift bag. By the time the second pair of divers had finished their decompression penalty, the wind had increased somewhat making recovery of the divers into the RIB difficult and giving an uncomfortable journey back to Whitehaven in the darkness of the evening.

It is now known that the diesel engine referred to in the article of 15 September on the snagged trawl net in Laxey Bay was actually the engine from the motor fishing vessel Robert Dee lost off Cornaa in 1978. The net has been freed but the engine remains as a new snag in Laxey Bay.

Taking advantage of the fine and calm weather divers Dave Copley and Adrian Corkill descended 54 metres to the wreck off Port St Mary thought to be that of the iron steam paddle tug Vivid which foundered in 1892. The shot weight landed slightly off the starboard side of the wreck amongst some hull plating. The main bulk of the wreck could be seen in the distance in excellent visibility of up to 20 metres. As the divers approached the wreck and ascended to go over the gunnel the magnificent clipper bow of the tug could be seen, an indication of the age of the vessel as her completion dates back to 1864. The boiler and machine could be seen inside the hull and certain other features, including the steering wheel and column were observed. The deck is angled at 45 degrees and wreckage has tumbled down to the seabed on the port side. As the divers ascended the shot line at the end of their dive the entire 40 metres length of the vessel could be seen, a memorable end to an excellent dive.

A trawl net has been abandoned a short distance off Laxey harbour. Close inspection of the cause of the loss revealed that a trawler's diesel engine and gearbox were responsible. It is very likely that the engine is from the wreck of the fishing vessel Argo (KY80) lost in January 1977.

Divers Steve Lace, Adrian Corkill and Steve Taggart descended to the wreck of an unidentified steamship on 15 September. Viz was excellent at perhaps 12 metres and so much of the stern area of the wreck was closely inspected. No positive identification was made but a fine large porthole was recovered and other fine fittings.

It has been reported that the bell from the steamship Ben Veg has been recovered by divers from a Cumbrian club on 1st September. The Ben Veg, owned by the Ramsey Steamship Company, foundered in May 1941 following a collision with the motor vessel Brittany off the Mull of Galloway. The wreck lies in 42 metres 7.5 nautical miles from the Point of Ayre.

The trawler Amber Rose which was foundered 1.5 miles south of the Chicken Rock in October 1998 was relocated today in 45 metres of water (low water). The wreck stands 9 metres high.

The steamship Hibernian sank in August 1894 following a collision with the Isle of Man Steam Packet Company's steamer Prince of Wales. The wreck is not often visited by divers due to its distance offshore. However, fine weather enabled Dave Copley, Steve Lace, Dusty Miller and Adrian Corkill to descend to the wreck in 41 metres. Shoals of fish shrouded the wreck in good viz of perhaps 10 metres. The shot had landed at the stern of the wreck and going forward along the port side large quantities of coal were observed. Then the compound steam engine and next the boiler came into view out of the gloom. The wreck seemed to disappear into the seabed forward of the boiler. The divers decided to follow the boiler round and to head back towards the stern on the starboard side of the steamer. Large copper and brass steam pipes connect the engine with the boiler. Lobsters and crabs abounded. Going back up the shot the large shoals of fish could be seen moving back in on the wreck.

A moderate northerly wind prevented diving on a wreck further offshore and divers Steve Lace, Dusty Miller and Adrian Corkill returned to off Maughold Head to dive the iron screw steamer Queen of the Isles which foundered in 1889. The divers encountered viz in the region of 15 metres which in water of 21 metres made for an enjoyable dive. The wreck is flattened with the boiler being the highest point at 3 metres. Lobsters abounded, some quite large and most in the open. Congers, pout and flatfish were seen amongst the wreckage. One lucky diver recovered a steam gauge, which was buried in the sand.

Perfect weather is required to dive the barque Adgillus off the east coast of the Isle of Man and divers Steve Lace, Dusty Miller, Steve Taggart and Adrian Corkill and Sunday 4th August provided just such favourable weather conditions. The shot landed about 5 metres from the stern. Visibility was good for the area at about 6-8 meters and the first pair of Dusty Miller and Adrian Corkill explored the stern section of the ship moving forward to the rear hold before returning to the shot. Lobsters and crabs were profuse but many were soft after having recently shed their old shells. The stern section of the Adgillus is remarkably intact for a 130 year old wooden sailing vessel and much bar iron and musket flints are evident. It seems that cargo was packed into all sections of the ship.

As the second pair of divers made ready to descend the work of Steve "Slipknot" Taggart became evident and the marker buoy floated away. Undeterred, the divers improvised by creating a second shot line using weight belts and the anchor rope. Eventually, all equipment was recovered and the second pair of divers enjoyed a good dive taking in the majority of the ship.

There seems there might be a necessity for knot tying classes in Laxey this winter!

The wreck, thought to be that of the Norwegian steamship Manchester, which lies some 11 miles south of Langness in 60 metres of water was dived during May by a team of divers from the UK. The ship's bell engraved "Glanwern 1882" was recovered which positively identifies the wreck as being that of the Manchester as she was launched with the name "Glanwern".

The Manchester foundered during a storm in November 1905 following a collision with the steamship Frieda.

After a dreadful run of weather in which there has been little activity, a window of opportunity in the weather appeared on 4th July. Arriving at the wreck at 12.15 pm three divers descended to the wreck of the Isle of Man Steam Packet steamship Peveril which was lost in a collision with the steamship Monarch in 1899.

Visibility was excellent at perhaps 15 metres and light levels were good. The shot landed in the galley area and the divers (Gary Smith, Adrian Corkill and Steve Lace) conducted a slow circuit around the rear half of the wreck. Large numbers of lobsters were seen, including some exceptionally large specimens. Congers to 40 lb were everywhere and shoals of calig (pollack) mulled around. Several large ling were also seen. Back at the shot at the end of the dive one diver ("Lucky Lace") observed, no more than four feet from shot, the rim of a porthole and on closer inspection pulled an intact example out of the sediment complete with storm cover. Water a "tropical" 14 degrees centigrade.

Divers Steve Lace, Pete Whiteway, Dusty Miller and Adrian Corkill made an early start to dive the wreck of the steamship Ballina 5 miles off Clay Head on Sunday morning, despite and overheating engine on the journey out caused by a plastic bag. In the water at 7 a.m. viz proved to be about 5 metres and the wreck was covered with a fine layer of silt despite the spring tides. Little fish life around apart from pouting, a few calig (pollack) and congers. Plenty of female crabs around in the berried state. The trawl net, which was lost on this wreck a few years ago, is still draped around the stern and prevents exploration in that area of the wreck. The forward sections of the wreck are now largely covered in sand. The water temperature is still cold at 9 centigrade.

Castaway SAC members Dave, Mike, Sarah and Adrian dived the steamship Peveril on Sunday 21st October 2001. Sea conditions were reasonable but not calm in the force 3-4 northwest wind. Diving over high-water at 2.55 p.m. maximum depths of 46 metres were achieved. Visibility was poor at only 2-3 metres and overall the dive was akin to a "night dive". The shot landed to the port side of the boiler so the divers concentrated their observations to the boiler and hold areas forward of the boiler. Plenty of lobsters and congers eels were present but no other fish life. Some of the cargo of the Peveril was observed.

The steamship Peveril sank just over one hundred years ago in September 1899 and was owned by the Isle of Man Steam Packet Company.

Alan ("Pointy") Goodwin, Terry ("Diesel") Smith and Andy ("Dr Evil") Newton from the Solway Sub-Aqua club dived the steam trawler Octavia at high water slack on Sunday 19th August 2001.

"We wouldn't normally do this dive on high water slacks but considering it was over three weeks since we had been on a wreck we were pretty desperate. The crossing there and back was flat calm only spoiled by the constant flow of watery stuff from the skies. The dive was excellent with 8 to 10 metres viz. Starting off at the stern we made our way around the propeller and up the port side to just in front of the wheel house. Here we entered the holds and went the length of the ship exiting on the port side hole at the bow. As usual the hold were full of bib pout and other fish. Moving around the bow we head down her starboard side past the hole caused by the ships collision and past the funnel lying on the sea bed, Bringing us back to the wheel house after a few minutes looking around this area for crustaceans we ascended the shot."

Another successful Pointy trip!

The steam trawler Octavia was lost in a collision 12 miles southeast of Maughold Head in February 1937.

A small group of divers, including Dave Copley, Steve Lace and Adrian Corkill braved a long journey in choppy conditions to dive the barque Adgillus, some 24 miles off the coast of the Isle of Man on Saturday 18th August. Shortly after arriving on site, complete failure of the steering cable to the outboard resulted in some resourceful rope work to steer the boat form that point on! Descending in 45 m of water, the divers were greeted with viz that was rapidly reduced to about 2 m on stirring up the muddy seabed. The wooden hull of the Adgillus is well broken up and stands no higher than 1 m off the seabed. However, searching around the remains of her cargo of general goods destined for West Africa in 1874, the divers located a "cod" bottle (complete with cork and contents), clay smoking pipes, rifle ammunition (left well alone!!) and "sponge ware" pottery. After 15 minutes bottom time the divers proceeded to decompress and had the challenge of coping with a shot "mollag" which decided to part company with the rope. More knot tying lessons required!!

Despite the inclement weather divers Steve Lace and Adrian Corkill supported by boat handler Chris Sharpe descended in excellent viz, in the region of 15 metres, to the wreck of the steamship Ballina. The Ballina, of Liverpool, was lost in a January storm in 1882 off Laxey with the loss of all hands. A huge shoal of fish swirled around the boiler reaching many metres up into the water above the wreck. The shot landed on the port side of the boiler, just clear of the tiled galley floor and the divers swam ahead of it and then down the starboard side, noting the many lobsters and conger eels hiding within the wreckage. On reaching the stern area, a detailed examination of the sediment within the wreck revealed several interesting relics, including a glass olive dish and a perfume bottle (both intact). Keeping clear of the trawl nets around the actual stern the pair moved back up the port side of the engine. Despite salvage work in the 1970s several large brass pieces of machinery still protrude from the base of the engine. Finishing back at the shot the divers ascended from an excellent dive.

Top Cumbrian wreck frogman "FireKing" Phil Hutchinson reports on a recent club dive:

“On Wednesday 1^st August 2001, the intrepid Solway Sub-Aqua Club set off into the wide blue yonder once again in search of wrecks a-new.

Our target was a wreck about half way between Whitehaven and Ramsey, at the position Latitude = 54°28'.778N, Longitude = 003°58'.007W (decimal).

Despite little showing on the sounder, we bounced in with lifting bags and hammers at the ready. Sadly, what we found was a large rock, about the size and shape of a Ford Fiesta. There was no trace of anything else within 5m of the rock, other than a bit of rusty chain which might have been off a trawl.

Although disappointing, the viz was excellent and the rock surrounded by fish and life, with plenty of light even though we were at 39m, and it was quite a good scenic dive. I had Rigsby with me, who doesn't want it widely known that he did a "scenic" dive, so be sure to spread the word.

The rock didn't look natural to me and so I've taken a sample and will get the origin identified.

Does this mean that in addition to our other accolades, the Solway club can now also claim to be the Premier Rock Diving Club in the Irish Sea?”

"'FireKing' Phil", Jason Carey and myself dived the Teasel on Saturday 28th July. The trip across was the best ever (from Whitehaven), with perfect surface conditions. We had slack water for 1/2 an hour before it should have been slack and for at least the same after slack was meant to finish.

Unfortunately the dive itself was the darkest dive I have ever been on, that wasn't at night. The water was very 'bitty' with brown particles (plankton bloom?) and below 25 metres the light just disappeared rapidly.

Anyway we hit amidships and did a quick swim to the bow and then back along the starboard walkway (where a large lobster took a dislike to Phil taking its picture.)

As always the bridge is covered in life and I got some reasonable video footage of the wheel etc. We left the wreck after about 16 minutes and did some long deco to get back up.

It was a good dive but a real shame the viz and the light were so poor as last time I dived you could see most of the wreck easily."

A small team of divers, namely Dave Copley, Gary Smith and Adrian Corkill dived the German submarine U246 in perfect weather conditions. They arrived on site to the south of the Isle of Man aboard the Vassa Viking (see www.aecdas.com for details on chartering) in time for slack water at noon. Fortunately the shot weight landed a few metres off the wreck near the conning tower in the centre of the wreck in 50 metres of water. Swimming to the left the divers headed toward the stern area where they encountered the twin propellers and steering gear, together with the stern torpedo tubes complete with torpedoes (and live!!). Moving forward the wreck was found to be largely broken but some sections were intact with the submarine leaning on her starboard side and the sandy seabed piled up against her port side. Approaching the bow, the forward torpedo tubes and more torpedoes were evident. Heading back to the shot the divers arrived at the central area of the submarine where the various parts of the conning tower were to be seen, including a D/F aerial, communications tower and what is thought to be the periscope. The divers ascended the shot line for a long deco stop.....

The divers would like to thank Ian Sims for the skippering Vassa Viking and Neil Ardern for crewing.

All respects were paid to the forty-eight men who gave their lives on the U246 in 1945.

BSAC club Manx Divers dived on the trawler Dawn Waters this morning in perfect sea conditions - glassy smooth all the way out to the wreck. It has been three years since the club last dived on her. The trawl booms are a little more collapsed into the seabed, but otherwise the wreck is unchanged. She is densely covered in plumrose anemones and there are large shoals of fish frequenting the wreck. Heavy plankton was present to 25 metres then water was relatively clear. Viz on wreck ranged from between 5 and 8 metres but it was very dark.

The Dawn Waters, of Jersey, was lost on 20th March 1986 13 miles east of Douglas with the loss of her crew of five men.

The Isle of Man Steam Packet steamship Peveril was dived on 19th May 2001 by wreck divers Steve Lace, Peter Whiteway, Dusty Miller and Adrian Corkill. Her wreck lies 14 miles off Douglas Head in 38 metres of water and makes an excellent dive. However, at present owing to the plankton bloom, wreck diving is more akin to night diving!! Luckily the shot weight landed on the starboard side of the boiler so was ideally placed for a tour of that part of the wreck, in particularly the galley area revealing some interesting finds, including plates and bottles.

The Peveril was lost on 17th September 1899 after a collision with the steamship Monarch and no lives were lost.

A team of divers (Gary Smith, Dave Copley, Peter Whiteway, Dusty Miller, Steve Taggart, Steve Lace and Adrian Corkill) today explored a previously undived shipwreck 8 miles north of Peel on the west coast of the Isle of Man. An hour of searching finally located the shipwreck, a fairly well known obstruction for local trawlers. The wreck stood in 41 metres at low-water but was 48 metres at high-water when the dive was made. The shot landed in the muddy seabed about 10 metres from the wreck, which soon proved to be the steel barge "Blue Star" which foundered on 25th November 1981 whilst bound from Ardrossan for Peel with a cargo of 1,800 railway sleepers. She was under tow of the tug Salisbury at the time. Both vessels were owned by the Laxey Towing Company. The barge is intact and remains on an even keel. Some of the cargo remains in the hold.

In a sequel to "Friday the Thirteenth" (see below) a strengthened team of divers returned to the scene of their earlier disappointment and successfully dived the Liverpool in reasonable viz of 10-12 metres. No mishaps to report.

Five members of the Solway Sub Aqua club (Alan Goodwin, "Fireking Phil" Hutchinson, Peter Mclean, James Tyson and Terry Smith) dived this wreck on Friday 20th April. This was the first time anyone from our club had dived this wreck. Departed Whitehaven harbour at 1.15pm and arrived on site around 2.40pm. Arrived back at Whitehaven around 6.15 pm. First pair dived at 3.20pm and found visibility at around 5 metres. Well broken up wreck and very similar to the steam trawler Albatross, off Maughold Head. Plenty of sea life including lobsters and conger eels. Maximum depth of 21 metres which is ideal for club/trainee sports divers. Main wreckage well flattened with the large boiler slightly to the north of the main wreck.

Three local divers tried to dive the well known wreck of the steamship Liverpool yesterday. With half the original team incapacitated through sea-sickness, the three remaining divers ventured down the shot line to find the grapnel firmly dug into the sea-bed. Relying on the Diving Officer of Manx Diver, Gary Smith, to navigate, they all managed to completely miss the 686 ton wreck. Twenty minutes later, the team surfaced and spent the return journey discussing how cheesed off they were.

Manx wreck divers Steve Taggart, Steve Lace, Peter Whiteway and Adrian Corkill dive an unknown wreck located 6 miles west of Peel, Isle of Man. The wreck has been fished since the 1970's but her identity had never been positively established. A force 4 northeast wind meant a moderate sea on site. The wreck was quickly located by GPS and shotted with a heavy lead. The divers descended the shot line 30 minutes before low-water and made their way to the bottom. The shot had landed about 3 metres off the wreck and had disappeared in to the seabed of thick mud. Visibility was limited to about 4 metres in a depth of 54 metres. The divers moved on to explore the wreck, which proved to be the steam trawler Oona Hall, of Fleetwood, sunk in a collision in May 1940. The wreck sits upright but has settled into the mud to the extent that her gunnels are only about 1 to 2 metres above the mud line. After 13 minutes bottom time the divers ascended to decompress.

Please e-mail your wreck diving experiences to me, Adrian Corkill, at adrian.corkill@manx.net and they will be included on this site.