p lSVBSTIGATOR STRAtr Wtdftt l. rJ r—A* State Heritage Branch S DEPARTMENT OF ENVIRONMENT AND NATURAL RESOURCES Slate Heritage Branch Department of Environment and Natural Resources Text by Terry Arnott Design and illustrations by Design Publishing Unit Adelaide, 1996 ISBN 0 7308 4720 9 F1S 14983 0VBSTIGATOR STKajj, '/Tv • v CONTENTS page Introduction 1 Map showing Investigator Strait Shipwrecks 8 Table of Investigator Strait Shipwrecks 9 S.S .Clan Ranald 10 Ethel 14 S.S .Ferret 16 Hougomont 18 S.S. Marion 21 S.S. Pareora 24 S.S. Willy a ma 27 Yatala Reef 30 Althorpe Island Shipwrecks 32 References 34 Diver Services 35 NOTES 36 The steering quadrant is visible above water as a diver examines the Willyama's sternpost. INVESTIGATOR strait INTRODUCTION Welcome to the Investigator Strait Maritime Heritage Trail. An historical background nvestigator Strait is the extensive and navigable stretch of water which I lies between southern YorkejEeninsula"ancfeKangaroo Island. Captain Matthew Flinders gave it this-name'on. in honour of his ship, HMS Investigator. jm " \ South Australia has over 3OOOokilo'rrie fres of coastline, deeply indented by mwA! lij.i| two gulfs, Gulf St. Vincent andfeSpencer-sGulffaiiwhichSare Winked at their southern approacheh s bh y thtvSe waters'of Investigator Strait. From the middlHH.e of last century Investigator Strait\nas,played an important part'in the trade and Vl^x , — \/ communications network of\SouthvAustralia as a^natural route for shipping. j^ II The first ships to use the strait\oir?a$r,egular basis were engaged in early f _ A whaling and sealing ventures. This a'ctivityjhad'mostly ceased by the 1850's. / —^-^^/jiltA As agricultural and mining settlements sprang up.arpundj Spencer Gulf and the Yorke Peninsula, vessels&were engagedln transporting^wheat, wool and mineral'cargoes to Adelaide,"and^in turB n5 carrie^ d manufactured goods back to r ? the/ outports. It is not so many years ago\ that almost all passenger transportation between Adelaide and these outlying districts was by small coastal sailing vessels and steamships. Small sailing vessels, mainly ketches, carried gypsum, salt and wheat from Stenhouse Bay, Marion Bay, Port Moorowie and Edithburgh to Adelaide. Fleets of larger sailing, and later steam powered, trading vessels carried South Australian produce through Investigator Strait to the rest of the world. By the middle of this century the small coastal traders had all but disappeared, having been replaced by rail and road transportation. Today Investigator Strait is still an important waterway for modern container and bulk cargo vessels, and its waters continue to provide a livelihood for smaller ketches, cutters and trawlers engaged in commercial fisheries. Windows into the past Investigator Strait with the loss^f^over • 70 lives1. A number of shipwrecks still await * V »•'" • v?.-. , - Vessels of all sizes and typfes.are wreckeH'f-in these waters,-ranging from the 10 ton wooden fishing- cutter 'Welling to the 3596^ton steel-steamer Clan • / *•« Ranald. The ships whicKcame to grief represent a whole range of social, industrial and maritime ^activities which ,have. been important to the development of Soutn;Australia..lhese wrecks serve as a reminder of'a time when sea transport wasvthe major means of travel and communication^- tv' ..-i ' • Y • .jf sr V / Generally these sunkenc'ships are broken up by the» forces^'of water V-.;* "\ " •••»•'•' turbulence, corrosion and.destructive marine organisms. Theri over time the A .'**?<•>' remams become comparatively stable with their environment-as they .are encapsulated in marine concretionsV...-p "'r , sand and'coralr* . "V The eerie and jumbled remains ofrtHese-'shipwrecks are'.a major haBitatffor: a-!''-r o diverse range of marine flora andXaiiiil^ii'if^^ attracted to the awesome beautyNof Shipwrecks are memorials to the unpredictable and savage temperament of the sea. They are a valuable heritage and tourism asset for all people to discover, learn from, and enjoy. The Investigator Strait Maritime Heritage Trail directs you to some of the known sites where gales, poor navigation, fog, and quite possibly foul play, was responsible for their loss. Explore our maritime heritage! aving an interest in shipwrecks is not H\exclusiv e to the diving community. Therefore seven land-based interpretive signs have been erected along the coastline of the lower Yorke Peninsula. They cater for everyone in the community who enjoys learning about history in an outdoor environment. Each of the seven signs provides an insight into our maritime history in the days of sail and steam. As you tour along this rugged and beautiful coastline you will find the trail signs above the cliffs and sandy beaches which overlook the final resting place of the ships they describe. Fortunately for us a number of the significant shipwrecks in this region are located near the most scenic sections of the coastline. To complement the dramatic setting of the signs, they have been written with the drama of the wrecking event in mind; the aim being to recount the final moments. The shipwrecks which form the basis of the Investigator Strait Maritime Heritage Trail were selected for a variety of reasons: the strange and tragic circumstances surrounding their loss, their historical significance, and because they provide an enjoyable underwater experience for beginners and advanced divers. I I These signs also carry a message. The sea can be a dangerous and unforgiving place.-Many people will view these signs on pleasant days with calm seas, giving little indication how violent the waters of Investigator Strait can become'whemthe weather suddenly changes. The trail signs and this guide are only two of the projects being developed for Investigator Strait, others include: • A comprehensive report on the shipwrecks of Investigator Strait, containing maps, photos and plans of shipwreck sites. • Underwater interpretive plaques at selected sites. • Small directional markers on road signs to assist people exploring the Investigator Strait Maritime Heritage Trail. • Management plans for the shipwrecks of Investigator Strait. Help protect our maritime heritage A number of wrecksites described in this trail guide have been declared JLX. historic shipwrecks under the Historic Shipwrecks Act 1976 (Commonwealth), and as such the remains cannot be interfered with or disturbed without a permit. Other shipwrecks are similarly protected by the Historic Shipwrecks Act 1981 (State) or by the Navigation Act 1912 (Commonwealth). Please dive, photograph and explore these shipwrecks if you wish, but do not interfere with them by disturbing or removing anything from them, or by anchoring into the remains. An anchor can seriously damage a shipwreck by causing the removal of protective marine concretions. If you discover a previously unknown shipwreck site please ensure that you can relocate the site and report it as soon as possible to the State Heritage Branch. Apart from contributing to the preservation and study of the wreck, you may be entitled to a reward from the government. i If you find a shipwreck has been damaged please record the details and report the matter as soon as possible to the State Heritage Branch. Enjoy your visit xploring shipwrecks can be a thrilling and satisfying experience, but to E ensure your enjoyment, precautions must be followed. The waters of Investigator Strait can be treacherous, particularly with sudden changes of weather, as is shown by the number of shipwrecks in this region. <Tffisgst^etch of the coastline is includ«Kin^hev^eather forecast for 'Gulf WatersVand^marine^charts are available from the Marine^SSfety-Division_of the South Australian-Department of Transport as well as some retail-outlfetl: Boat ramps of varying standards are located at Edithburgh, Port Moorowie, Foul Bay, Marion Bay and Pondalowie Bay. Please ensure that all necessary safety equipment including a radio is carried on your boat, and that someone ashore is aware of your plans'. ' If anyone is injured while diving, you should contact the Diver Emergency Service at the Royal Adelaide Hospital (Tel 1800i?088 200). The nearest regional hospital is at Yorketown (Tel 08 8852 1200). Divers are advised to consider the option of chartering a vessel through a commercial dive operator who is familiar with the area and its hazards. A list of Yorke Peninsula dive charter operators has been included in this guide, along with air fill stations. > Some of the wrecks can be located using the GPS fixes and maps provided. Sites are subject to tidal variations of 1-2 metres. A number of sites are affected by strong currents and should only be dived at slack tide or preferably during 'dodge tides'. Other sites can be subject to strong surges and swells. All diving should be carried out in accordanc• mme with standard safe practices for recreational diving with the 'diver below' flag/clearly visible^ f~j 'Uljj Record your observations f # ' his trail guide has been printed on plastic to-enable divers to -write on it #1 C / I { JI }-*- underwater with an ordinary lead pencil./ As you dive on these shipwrecks you can add features not described on the printed site plan, or any changes to those which have been recorded..The, State Heritage Branch would appreciate obtaining a copy of these from you to assist witlithe ongoing study and management of these sites. / / \ ^ i Want to learn more? or more information about the general maritime history of southern F jYorke Peninsula, includirig^artefacts recovered-from these wrecks,