wreck rap

Text by Rosemary E. Lunn Photos by Rick Ayrton

Dateline: Saturday, 26 May 2018 Destination: SS Chart co-ordinates: 50°34,90N; 01°56.59W “Crikey,” I thought, “one hundred years ago today that German U-boat was awfully close to the English coast.” I suddenly felt a bit vulnerable. World War I happened right here—just off the peaceful Dorset shore, not in some far-off French trench. A century ago today, I could well be on a sinking ship. Or dead.

In reality, I was sitting, fully kitted up, on Spike—a British dive char- ter boat—waiting for Pete, the Skipper, to yell, “It's time to dive!” Kyarra Wreck Turns 100 Years Old The journey out from and across the bay had taken 20 minutes, and now we were bobbing up and down over “Her name was taken Thirty metres (98ft) beneath me Denny and Brothers, to a high the wreck site, waiting for slack lay the once elegant Kyarra—a standard (her deck was made water. I stared across the sea to from the aboriginal word twin-masted, schooner-rigged of teak). The Kyarra's passenger land and Anvil Point, a mere mile for a small fillet steel steamer. She had been built accommodation was luxurious; away, thinking about the ship I at the start of the last century in she had 42 First Class Cabins, and was about to dive. of possum fur.” Dunbarton, Scotland, by William her interior and exterior fittings WIKIMEDIA COMMONS / PUBLIC DOMAIN

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Scenes from the wreck (above) of the Kyarra (left); Dorset coast (right)

retrieve them and made 1914. Eleven years after she had been the news.” launched, the Kyarra was requisitioned and leased in Brisbane by the British “The Kyarra became Government to be a WWI hospital ship. She became HMAT A55, or “His Majesty's known as the ship Australian Transports.” HMAT ships were made of brass” used to transport various Australian Infantry Divisions to their respective over- History seas destinations. When they were not The Kyarra was launched transporting military, HMAT ships would on 2 February 1903, and carry goods to Britain and France. she proved to be a prof- The Kyarra was painted white, and red itable, successful, luxury crosses were added to her hull to indi- liner for the Australian cate that she was a hospital ship. Her United Steam Navigation job was to transport Australian medical Company. The 127m units to Egypt, and we know she carried (416ft) long ship also had a major contingent of Queensland nurses WIKIMEDIA COMMONS / PUBLIC DOMAIN the capacity to trans- on one voyage. were made from solid brass. She had brass port 7,164 cubic metres (253,000 cubic Five months later, in March 1915, the portholes, door handles, navigation lights feet) of general cargo in her fore deck Kyarra was converted yet again. This gun mounted on her stern as a defence the ship for a return to Britain. and name plates. Even the bench end- and aft deck holds. She sailed between time, she served as a troopship and against U-boats. In May 1918, the Kyarra was in London. supports on her deck were made of brass. , Western (where she helped land ANZAC expeditionary troops On 4 January 1918, the 6,953-ton She was fully loaded with general cargo Diver Peter Hayton said: “One of my was registered), and Sydney, New South in the Dardanelles. She also saw service Kyarra was decommissioned —the worth GB£1,500 (about GB£100,000 in dive buddies found the most coveted of Wales, carrying both fare-paying passen- in the Gallipoli campaign. Commonwealth control lease had ended. today's money), which was bound for prizes: the Kyarra name from the bow, in gers and cargo. In 1917, the Kyarra became a casualty- Captain Albert Donovan took command Australia. Items included bottles of cham- very large brass letters. It took weeks to Her life changed on 6 November clearing ship, and had a 4.7in quick-firing of her on 19 January 1918, and readied pagne, red wine, stout and vinegar, bales

7 X-RAY MAG : 87 : 2018 EDITORIAL FEATURES TRAVEL NEWS WRECKS EQUIPMENT BOOKS SCIENCE & ECOLOGY TECH EDUCATION PROFILES PHOTO & VIDEO PORTFOLIO wreck UB-57 CAPTAIN LOHS rap The captain of UB-57, Oberleutnant Johannes Lohs, died at sea, aged 29. Lohs sailed from Zeebrugge on 3 August 1918. The last contact he made with base was on the evening of the 14 August 1918. At the time UB-57 was homeward bound. She was believed to be in the area of the Sandiette Bank, east of the Straits of Dover. It is thought UB-57 hit a mine. Lohs' body subsequently washed W31 MARINER High Compressor ashore, and today he is buried in the Charging Rate: 105 or 140 lt/min Ysselsteyn Cemetery, Netherlands. Working Pressure: 225/310 bar Dimensions (CM): W44 L81 H52 : 65 kg W32 CANOPY Between 25 March 1917 and 13 High Pressure Compressor August 1918, Oberleutnant Johannes Charging Rate: 180, 250 or 300 lt/min Working Pressure: 225/310 bar Lohs damaged 16 ships (89,369 tons) Dimensions (CM): W70 L100 H130 Alkin and Aykom Weight: Compressor Distributors and sunk 77 ships (150,665 tons) dur- 280, 290 or 300 kg ing 13 patrols.  C & R Testing Ltd Unit 1, Owenshaw Mills, Old Cawsey, Sowerby Bridge, Halifax HX6 2AF 07.20, another 07.40, a third 08.00 and Telephone: +44 (0) 1422 410 466 | Email: [email protected] yet another 08.50. It would be reasona- Website: www.candrtesting.co.uk bly fair to say she was torpedoed some- Opening Times: Monday to Friday 9.00 am - 17:00 pm where between 07.00 and 09.00. Saturday and Sunday - Closed There are conflicting reports over the fatalities. One states there were nine

fatalities. Another states that six men inSCUBA_April17_07_CR_Testing.indd 1 th 28/02/2017 16:59 8 edition the boiler room were killed when it was VII EDYCJA flooded. A third states that five crew INTERNATIONAL SHIPWRECK FESTIVAL of silk and cloth, French perfume, rolls of Johannes Lohs, through the periscope lino, sticks of red sealing wax, medical of UB-57. supplies, cigarettes, silver purses, men's February 9, 2019 big pocket watches and ladies gold UB-57 wrist-watches. She was also carrying 35 UB-57 was part of the Flanders Flotilla, University of Warsaw, Poland civilian passengers. sailing from Zeebrugge. Her captain www.festiwalwrakowy.com Her captain, William Smith, had orders had some very good ideas on U-boat which stated that the Kyarra should sail warfare and new tactics, and in April to Plymouth and embark about 1,000 1918 Lohs received the Pour le Mérite. war-wounded Australian soldiers and Lohs was having a successful patrol. repatriate them. On 22 May, he had sunk the 423-ton On 24 May 1918, she left Tilbury in steamer Red Rose, and on 23 May, he Essex and zigzagged down the Channel had sunk the P&0 Liner Moldavia (she heading for Devonport, Devon. It was to had been converted into an armed be her last voyage. merchant cruiser of some 9,500 tons). On the morning of Sunday, 26 May, Now the Oberleutnant was stalking the the Kyarra had cleared the Isle of Wight Kyarra. and was moving fast through calm seas We do know that Lohs torpedoed the around Anvil Point (she could do about Kyarra amidships, on her port side just VIII 15 knots). Sadly, her captain did not forward of the boilers. There is, however, WARSZAWA know his course was being tracked by differing data regarding the time that 2019 German submarine ace Oberleutnant she was torpedoed. One reference says View of the deck (above) and interior (top) of the Kyarra wreck

8 X-RAY MAG : 87 : 2018 EDITORIAL FEATURES TRAVEL NEWS WRECKS EQUIPMENT BOOKS SCIENCE & ECOLOGY TECH EDUCATION PROFILES PHOTO & VIDEO PORTFOLIO THIS PAGE: Divers wreck on the wreck of rap the Kyarra Kyarra

that the Kyarra's position was KYARRA LOSSES 50°34,30N; 01°56.20W. The Kyarra's mast was showing but not consid- Six crewmen died when the ered dangerous to navigation. Kyarra was torpedoed. They are: The Kyarra was to lie undiscov- ered for 48 or 49 years. Again 1. BROWN (33), Fireman, HMHS there are conflicting reports that Kyarra, Mercantile Marine, she was found in 1966 and July †26/05/1918. Born in London. 1967. At the time of her discovery, Memorial: Tower Hill Memorial. it was thought she had sunk closer to St Aldhelms Point. Her posi- 2. MACKENZIE, DUNCAN tion was therefore marked on the (52), Fireman, HMHS Kyarra, chart as a shoal—“a place where Mercantile Marine, †26/05/1918, a sea, river, or other body of water son of the late Murdo and is shallow”. Catherine Mackenzie. Born at Udrigle. Memorial: Tower Hill First dives on the wreck Memorial. She was first dived by two mem- bers of Kingston BSAC—husband 3. MCPHUN, LAURENCE ALBERT and wife team, Ron and Linden (16), Steward's Boy, HMHS Kyarra, Blake. Five members of Kingston Mercantile Marine, †26/05/1918, (Ron Blake, Linden Blake, Adrian son of Mrs. Louisa McPhun, of 12, Bradley, Bill Foley and Dave Tynemouth St., Hull. Born at Hull. were killed in the engine room Kyarra had struck a mine, and passengers, including a pilot, Wakeman) and two members of Memorial: Tower Hill Memorial. and an injured man later died at Captain Smith turned her towards were all landed at Swanage. The Hounslow BSAC (John Coheagan Swanage Cottage Hospital. Yet, Swanage in a valiant attempt to W/T code books and confidential and Charlie Stoltz) were diving out 4. MORLEY, HENRY GARNET another says that one engineer try and beach her. But it was soon papers were sunk by the master. of Swanage on an inflatable boat WARMLINGTON (28), Trimmer, and four firemen were killed in the realised that she had been torpe- looking for the wreck, Carantan. HMHS Kyarra, Mercantile Marine, explosion, and a sixth man died doed. Location The divers picked up what looked †26/05/1918, husband of Allison on shore. Either way, the order was given On 27 May 1918, it was reported like a wreck on the echo sounder Trent Cook (formerly Morley), I have found evidence of to abandon ship, and of The Shack, Calangir, Western six fatalities. It is possible that the surviving passen- Australia. Born in Australia. five died on board and one in gers and crew took Memorial: Tower Hill Memorial. Swanage. I am not making light to the lifeboat. of these deaths but it could have It is reported that 5. NANLES, JAMES ABBOTT been so much worse if the Kyarra seven to ten minutes (28), Fireman, HMHS Kyarra, had been en-route to Australia later the Kyarra nose- Mercantile Marine, †26/05/1918, with the war-wounded. dived beneath the son of Emily Nanles (nee Again, there are conflicting waves. From the time Wiltshire), of 25, Trinity St. Barking reports about the attack. One of the attack to her Road, London, and the late states that a watchman shout- sinking, it took about Abbott Nanles. Born at Canning ed, “Torpedo!” and that it was 20 minutes. It is report- Town. Memorial: Tower Hill less than 100 yards away from ed she sank at 09.08, Memorial. the Kyarra. Therefore, the order but with four different for “hard to port” did not have torpedo times, it is 6. SMALL, WILLIAM , Fifth enough time to be actioned. hard to know if this is Engineer Officer, HMHS Kyarra, Another report says that a tor- accurate. Either way, Australian Mercantile Service, pedo was seen, but the enemy the beautiful ship was †26/05/1918, son of Mr. and Mrs. vessel was not. A third report gone. A. B. Small, of Sydney. Memorial: indicates that it was thought the The survivors and Tower Hill Memorial. 

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KYARRA ARTIFACTS

A vast array of different items have been recovered from the wreck of the Kyarra. These include brass pad- locks, false teeth, a statue of Prince Albert, carved wooden beads, Sanitas Disinfectant bottles, Worcester Sauce, pens, pipettes and smoking pipes and WIKIMEDIA COMMONS / PUBLIC DOMAIN Trench Art. so very similar. "Adopt-a-Wreck Scheme," In 1967, Kingston BSAC bought and she is owned by the A small ceramic pot of Marmite the ship for GB£120, but not the Kingston and Elmbridge was also found on the wreck. This mixed cargo. On 6 May 1969, branch of the British Sub was sealed with a lead lid. Today, it was reported that the wheel- Aqua Club. Australians eat Vegemite. One wonders house and the top superstruc- would this have been the case if the ture had been swept away. My dives on Kyarra Kyarra had made it safely to Australia. Today, the Kyarra's decaying As some would say, Would Australia also be a nation of remains stand 18m (59ft) proud “this was not my first Marmite lovers too?  of the rocky seabed, and she rodeo,” diving the Kyarra. is probably the most dived That occurred on Sunday, 23 and during the first part of my wreck in Dorset. She has been August 1992, as part of my PADI “deep dive” on the Kyarra. I adopted by divers under the Advanced Open Water Course. calmed down a little when I got Nautical Archaeology Society I was, frankly, terrified before halfway down the shot line and was astonished to find the sea and dived it. Ron and Linden still intact.” Another report says was emerald green, as I watched Blake descended first onto an that the Kyarra was identified by sunbeam shafts dance in the unknown mark and experienced checking all the manifests of the water and lighting up parts of the what every wreck diver dreams ships sunk off the Dorset coast. wreck. The visibility was amaz- about—an unknown virgin wreck. Eventually, a serial number on a ing; I just did not know it at the She was largely intact—her brass stick of sealing wax matched one time, because I had no frame of portholes still had glass in them— found in a hold on the wreck. A reference. “So this what wreck and she was lying on her star- report also states the Kyarra was diving is all about,” I thought, as I board side. identified on 22 May 1966, but I followed my instructor across the The divers formed a com- cannot find whether she was iden- deck. pany called the Kyarra Salvage tified because of the wax, the bell This wreck dive had such a pro- Association, to salvage the wreck. or the brass name (and if she was found effect on me that I was In 1974, the propeller was blown found in 1967, where does the date back down in Swanage the fol- off with help from Fort Bovisand. 22 May 1966 come from?) lowing weekend, again diving the The propeller was to lie on the We do know that the wreck Kyarra. My instructor said I was seabed for two years, before it was positively identified by the certified to dive to 30 metres, so I was subsequently raised by Dave ship's name in brass letters from decided to put this into practice. Wakeman, and the funds were the bow and the recovery of the This was the first dive I had ever paid into the company accounts. ship's bronze bell in 1977 by Julian done without an instructor present. Bamford and (again conflict- It was my tenth dive ever. Identification ing names) David Weightman or Naturally I did it with someone There are conflicting reports on Dave Taylor. It is reported that the vastly more experienced than I. how the Kyarra was identified. bell is held by Dave Wakeman, so He had 14 dives. And it was back One says that the Blakes “read one wonders if Weightman and in the day when octopuses were the brass name on the bow of Wakeman are one and the same not mandatory kit. Between us, the ship, which at the time was person, because the names sound we had a primary regulator and Scenes from the wreck of the Kyarra (above and top left); Historical photo of the Kyarra (center)

10 X-RAY MAG : 87 : 2018 EDITORIAL FEATURES TRAVEL NEWS WRECKS EQUIPMENT BOOKS SCIENCE & ECOLOGY TECH EDUCATION PROFILES PHOTO & VIDEO PORTFOLIO wreck “I must have dived the wreck rap hundreds of times over the years Kyarra but she is still revealing her

sickness. We were secrets. Every dive is different. dive. Divers really ought to have very, very lucky. Exploring the wreck is some- something like 20 odd temper- thing I never get tired of." ate water sea dives under their Impact of Kyarra weight belt before tackling the That dive was forever seared — Pete Williams, owner of Divers Kyarra because the visibility, cur- into my soul. Its impact echoed Down and skipper of Spike rents and narrow swim-throughs across the years and into my can make this a suitably chal- diving career. When I became lenging dive. It is a good wreck a PADI Pro, I would always ask diver, but somehow he had left his for building up depth experience, myself before I signed a student's hood behind and he ended up and it is a great, accessible and certification card off, “Am I sign- diving the wreck in a fleece bala- entertaining dive for experienced ing your death warrant?” I never clava. temperate water sea divers, espe- wanted a student of mine to go At the turn of this century, I was cially if you are qualified. through what I went through on the Dive Centre Manager at Triton Pete's voice drags me away the Kyarra. Scuba in Portsmouth. I wanted from my wool-gathering. It is time It took me a while to venture a benign place to introduce to dive. It is 09.30, and we are back and dive the Kyarra again. I my divers to British sea diving. more or less on slack . The dived it in 1996 with Mike Thomas. Swanage beckoned, but not ini- pool is now open. Exactly 100 We had spent the Saturday cav- tially the Kyarra. years to the day and several min- ing on Mendip, Somerset. On the Although I was taken on the utes after the Kyarra sank, I take Sunday, we headed for Swanage. Kyarra as a trainee, I would not a giant stride off Spike and head Mike was and is a meticulous consider this wreck a raw-trainee down the fixed shot line. pressure gauge each, and we shared a watch, a and the biggest knife we could lay our hands on. We got down to the bottom of the shotline, and this time, instead of benign, sunlit, emerald green waters greeting us, there was a running, and it was a pitch-dark night. Neither of us had a torch. Who knew that English could be blacker than a black thing? We clung to each other not knowing what to do next, before moving away from the shotline. We promptly lost the safe, fixed line home. At 15 minutes, we decided it was time to come up. We held each other's arms, Roman hand- truly blown. We were off the PADI flow. My BCD's over-pressurisation shake style, and started to ascent. tables. valve gunned loudly, rapidly and We kicked and kicked and kicked We started again. Within sec- repeatedly, and suddenly, we and his fins fell off. The next onds, we were surrounded by were on the surface. We had moment, we flumped onto the bubbles, thousands of them. made a very fast uncontrolled seabed. I jammed his fins back Our noses were almost pressed ascent from seabed to surface in on. By now, we had done about together, and I still could not see a matter of seconds. To this day, I 25 minutes at 30m (99ft). Our no- his face for the bubbles. I thought still do not know why neither of us decompression time was well and his regulator had gone into free- did not have an embolism or get THIS PAGE: Scenes from the wreck of the Kyarra (above and top left); Divers on their way to dive the Kyarra wreck (left)

11 X-RAY MAG : 87 : 2018 EDITORIAL FEATURES TRAVEL NEWS WRECKS EQUIPMENT BOOKS SCIENCE & ECOLOGY TECH EDUCATION PROFILES PHOTO & VIDEO PORTFOLIO Memorial wreath (left) for the souls lost on the wreck Kyarra wreck (far left rap and below) Kyarra

Their silver bodies look ceptively begins to pick up. The as though they are Kyarra is a very tidal wreck and fresh from a BBQ grill. you can only get on her twice a Strong black stripes day. It is almost time to head to run horizontally down the surface. A cheeky tompot each fish, as though blenny is in full-on cute mode, as their scales have we head amidships to find a quiet been seared over hot area to deploy our delayed sur- coals. face marker buoys. If you care to look, As I sit on my safety stop in the there is quite a lot brisk current, I wonder when I will of life on the Kyarra. next dive the Kyarra. It seems I Patches of vibrant have visited her at key times in ing forty years since the founding jewel anemones and hydroids my diving career. Each of my of their branch of the British Sub coat the structure. Interspersed, dives has been unique on this big Aqua Club.” are odd clumps of light bulb sea wreck—each dive different. And squirts, cup corals, sandalled the more I explore her maritime Parting thoughts anemones and deadmen's fin- history, the more I am beguiled As we mooched over broken gers. by her. I surfaced with more ques- beams and deck plates, our torch We have almost made it to tions about her sinking, wanting beams picked up a school of bib. the rudder as the current in per- conclusive accurate answers. 

After diving the inland quarries ing her age, but then she has Reed (Training Officer) and Chris over the winter months, the sea spent a century at the bottom of Dunkerly (Chairman) of IPSAC will is welcoming. It is the English Channel, being swept place the wreath to commemo- a balmy 16°C (60°F) on the sur- by vicious currents. She is still rate the six men killed a century face. This promises to be a good largely intact and recognisable as ago today. dive. A hint of the wreck begins a ship, although she has evolved Pat Collins, co-owner of Divers to appear. As I fin down the line, into flat-pack wreckage. Down and secretary to the Friends the smudgy shadow gets stronger Get your eye in and you can of Swanage Pier, said: “The Kyarra and the outline more defined. start identifying deck fittings from is one of the most iconic wrecks Three breaths later, we are over the jumble of metal. Obvious on the south coast. Divers use our the bow area, and the tempera- objects include various pairs of boats to visit the wreck through- ture has dropped to 16°C (53.5°F). bollards, the mast, a large winch out the summer and we felt it was I am happy and snug in my and a boiler, complete with a resi- important to mark the 100th anni- O'Three drysuit. dent curious conger eel (Kyarra versary of her sinking by remem- This morning, we have good had four boilers). Some objects bering the six men who died on light and great visibility on the are less obvious—random bits of that May morning in 1918. The Kyarra. We have no goals for this the engine mechanism, a cap- Kyarra can only be dived at cer- dive—our mission is to bimble and stan and the propeller shaft. tain states of the due to the enjoy the entire experience of the fast currents so we are lucky that wreck. We cruise over the holds Memorial we will be able to dive the wreck and the obvious swim-throughs, A pair of divers pass us, mission- within an hour of the actual sink- and fin along her plates. Ahead focused, heading for the boiler. ing time. of us are rows of naked window Today, Divers Down (the oldest "The commemoration is even holes, stretching out into the dis- dive school in the United Kingdom) more special as this year we cel- tance. The brass portholes were has teamed up with the Isle of ebrate 60 years of Divers Down. recovered long ago. Purbeck Sub Aqua Club (IPSAC) Our friends in the Isle of Purbeck The once-beautiful ship is show- to lay a wreath on the wreck. Nick Sub Aqua Club are also celebrat-

12 X-RAY MAG : 87 : 2018 EDITORIAL FEATURES TRAVEL NEWS WRECKS EQUIPMENT BOOKS SCIENCE & ECOLOGY TECH EDUCATION PROFILES PHOTO & VIDEO PORTFOLIO wreck rap ROYAL MUSEUMS GREENWICH / WIKIMEDIA COMMONS / CC BY-NC-SA 3.0 CC BY-NC-SA / COMMONS / WIKIMEDIA GREENWICH MUSEUMS ROYAL The Goodwin Sands (left) are one of the most impor- tant marine archaeological areas around England; Printed chart from 1750 of the Goodwin Sands (above); Historical illustration of a ship of the line (right)—or 17th- 19th century warship—similar to the HMS Restoration NASA / PUBLIC DOMAIN

Historic wreck sites in the English Channel face DOMAIN / PUBLIC COMMONS WIKIMEDIA eradication as controversial dredging project gains approval

The Goodwin Sands, a Designation is not given lightly; ling Castle, HMS Restoration, HMS and cloying quicksand. At high from the Goodwin Sands on 26 The Prince of Wales Sea Training sandbank off the East Kent each wreck must be of national or Northumberland and The Admiral tide, the Sands are covered by July 2018. DHB proposes to extract School in Dover also voiced its international significance. A good Gardner. just a few feet of water. a maximum of 3,000,000 dry concern about harvesting the coast, have the highest example of this is the Rooswijk. tonnes of sand and gravel aggre- Goodwin Sands to use as build- density of historic wrecks This armed Dutch East Indiaman Souls lost At first glance, harvesting the gate over a period of two years, ing materials: "For the thousands designated under United was found in 2004. She had been Ships are not the only victims of Goodwins for sand and gravel using a trailer-suction-hopper of seafarers and WWII airmen who Kingdom's Protection of wrecked in a storm in January this . Tens of thousands of for construction seems a sen- dredge. lost their lives on these sands, the 1740 whilst carrying a large cargo mariners and scores of service- sible because it is a Goodwin Sands, through the time- Wrecks Act 1973. of silver. All 250 crew and passen- men from both World Wars have conveniently-placed, low-cost Strong voices say, "No!" line of our nation's seafaring history, gers perished. lost their lives on the Goodwin sand supply, ripe for exploita- In August 2017, Jane Maddocks, 'is a known grave;' the evidence is The Goodwin Sands are located Sands. In 1940 alone, research tion. On 19 January 2016, The Wrecks and Underwater Cultural overwhelming, as the charts and approximately 13 miles from the The Rooswijk has been very has shown that 60 planes and 80 Guardian reported that Dover Heritage Adviser to the British Sub our history show, so let the sands Dover Straits—the narrow, his- carefully excavated by Historic aircrew from Britain, Poland and Harbour Board "was considering Aqua Club, stated: become their memorial." torical and important sea route. England, the Cultural Heritage Germany perished in this area dredging for sand and gravel Hence, it is quite possible that the Agency of the Netherlands, of the English Channel. Only one from Goodwin Sands", to expand "As the governing body for the On 27 September 2017, Historic considerable expanse of shifting and a team of Dutch and Brit- plane, a Dornier 17, has ever cargo facilities and build a mari- sport of sub aqua diving and England—the government’s statu- sand has claimed at least 2,000 ish underwater archaeologists. In been recovered. na at Dover Port. snorkelling in the United King- tory adviser on all matters relat- ships over the centuries. The first January 2007, the UK government dom, we feel that part of our ing to the historic environment in documented ship wrecked upon announced that it was going to Sand and gravel Following a two-year pub- role is to support the protection England—wrote to the MMO and the Goodwin Sands dates from designate the Rooswijk as a pro- The Goodwin Sands are solid at lic consultation, the Marine of our underwater cultural herit- said, "We recommend that you 1298. The Sands have the highest tected site. low tide; in fact, cricket matches Management Organisation age (UCH) whenever we feel it do not issue a marine licence for density of historic wrecks desig- have been played on the sand- (MMO) granted Dover Harbour may be threatened. The dredging this proposed project (Goodwin nated under the Protection of Other significant designated bank since 1824. But as the waters Board (DHB) a licence to dredge proposals for the Goodwin Sands Sands aggregate dredging pro- Wrecks Act 1973 . historic wrecks include HMS Stir- return, the Sands become sticky three million tonnes of aggregate concern us." ject)." 

13 X-RAY MAG : 87 : 2018 EDITORIAL FEATURES TRAVEL NEWS WRECKS EQUIPMENT BOOKS SCIENCE & ECOLOGY TECH EDUCATION PROFILES PHOTO & VIDEO PORTFOLIO wreck A centenary should always be rap acknowledged and marked. British Columbia gets Maltaqua, Marcus Blatchford and Steve Jakeway have therefore another artifical as collaborated to create two limited edition fine art prints, and a full colour Placement Depth poster showing detailed 3D images of ARSBC sinks YOGN 82 the wreck of SS Le Polynesien. The Society of British Columbia, Canada, part- nered with local manufacturer Catalyst Paper to clean and sink the YOGN-82, a US Navy barge from Built in 1890, SS Polynesien WWII, creating a was a French passenger ship new artificial reef ILLUSTRATION COURTESY OF ARSBC that served on the France- and dive attrac- PLacementBow: Latitude depth = 49° 50’ of 58.83” YOGN-82 N; Longitude 124° 32’ 21.27” W Australia line. She was sunk tion off the coast on 10 August 1918 in the of Powell River. down . . . She is on the bottom, Mediterranean Sea, seven Made of cast reinforced con- fully intact and sitting upright.” nautical miles (13km or 8.1mi) off Valletta, Malta, and sent to crete, the vessel—which was built a watery grave by a torpedo in 1943 by Concrete Ship Builders Over the next five years, three launched by the German in National City, California— more ships will be reefed, includ- U-boat SM UC-22, captained measures 112m long and weighs ing Emile N. Vidal, Quartz and SS by Eberhard Weichold. In 15 4,400 tons. To clean and sink Peralta. Reached only via water- patrols, UC-22 was credited YOGN-82, Catalyst Paper con- craft, these giant ships will be with sinking 23 ships, either tributed CA$500,000. placed in a group formation at by torpedo or by mines different depths from around 25 laid. UC-22 was surrendered ARSBC Vice President, Rick Wall, to 35m, within easy scuba swim- to France on 3 February said the sink went as planned: “It ming distance from one another. 1919, and was broken up at Landerneau in July 1921. took 11 minutes to sink and go  SOURCE: ARSBC WIKIMEDIA COMMONS / PUBLIC DOMAIN / PUBLIC COMMONS WIKIMEDIA SS Le Polynesien sank 100 years ago

One hundred years ago—on 10 One century on, and this mas- ics visible on the wreck itself, this wrecks, including the MV Rozi, August 1918—Captain Eberhard sive wreck now lists to port, in an wreck is very much intact and Schnellboot S-31, HMS Hellespont Weichold ordered the crew of SM area where salvage is illegal. The easy to penetrate. However, not and the bow section of HMS UC-11 (a minelaying submarine) Polynesien is still very much intact every diver will be able to visit this Southwold. The most interest- to torpedo the Polynesien. The and in great condition. She is beautiful wreck—she is a techni- ing Maltese wreck however is 152m (498ft) French steam- and deep enough to miss most storm cal dive because she lies at 43 to the mighty SS Le Polynesien, and sail-powered passenger liner surges; hence, it is possible to see 65m (141 to 213ft). Blatchford has been involved with was hit on the port side near the exactly what is actually happen- a project to record this wreck in engine room and sunk within 20 ing as the structure degrades. Poster and models high definition 3D (if you click on minutes. A number of reports Marcus Blatchford, a British un- this link you will see four models: state that 11 crew members and "Plate ship" derwater photographer, has the stern gun, the anchor windlass six passengers died. Locally known as the plate ship been using photogrammetry to and two models of the complete

due to the number of ceram- document a number of Maltese wreck).  COURTESYPHOTO OF ARSBC WWII-era US Navy barge YOGN-82 being sunk off the coast of Powelll River, BC

14 X-RAY MAG : 87 : 2018 EDITORIAL FEATURES TRAVEL NEWS WRECKS EQUIPMENT BOOKS SCIENCE & ECOLOGY TECH EDUCATION PROFILES PHOTO & VIDEO PORTFOLIO wreck JOIN US AT EUROPE’S PREMIER rap ADVANCED DIVING CONFERENCE...

MEET THE THAI CAVE RESCUE TEAM! Meet the core team including , John Volanthen, Chris Jewell, Jason Mallinson and Dr Richard Harris exclusively at EUROTEK

Discovered by an international team comprising British, Canadian and South Korean experts, the Russian Imperial Navy cruiser Dmitrii Donskoi was found about a mile off the South Korean island of Ulleungdo. Photo: Sami Paakkarinen Mystery surrounds wreck of Russian

“EUROTEK is the most important warship found off South Korea event in our community and undoubtedly the finest conference DISCOVER THE in the World” CUTTING-EDGE Police in Seoul have raided the offices of a South Korean company, which declared it LATEST GEAR , Explorer EQUIPMENT had found billions of dollars worth of gold aboard the sunken Russian warship and is now investigating the case as a potential fraud linked to a new cryptocurrency. MEET DIVING PRESENTATIONS PIONEERS TO INSPIRE South Korean police also requested to scuttle the vessel. The fact the Dmitrii ed in a new cryptocurrency system an international arrest warrant for the Donskoi was deliberately sunk fuelled that it would be establishing. founder of a Singapore-based firm speculation that it was carrying gold. after launching an investigation into But the sinking of damaged warships by However, 200 tons of gold is nowhere EXCITING NEW WORLD-CLASS DISCOVER NEW VENUE SPEAKERS FRONTIERS the Korea-based Shinil Group over their own crew was and still is a com- near worth the reported US$133 billion false claims regarding the long-lost mon practice to prevent them and their but less than US$8 billion (gold price “I love the EUROTEK party - “The speakers are “EUROTEK is a fantastic Russian “treasure ship”. secrets from falling into enemy hands. as of 22 Aug is US$ $38.41 per gram). it’s a great chance for divers extremely interesting diving event with world to get together and unify and varied. I came away class presentations. If you are over a beer. Don’t miss the best THE VERY BEST with new goals and renewed SEE THE LATEST serious about your diving, you The Shinil Group announced in July The Shinil Group stated they intended The Korea Herald reported Shinil diving party on the planet!” DIVE PARTY enthusiasm” TECHNOLOGY cannot afford to miss it” that it had discovered the wreck of to raise the wreck in October or No- Group has denied it has any ties to Paul Vincent Toomer, DiveRAID EUROTEK delegate Jim Standing, Fourth Element the Dmitrii Donskoi, and that 200 tons vember. It agreed to hand over half the cryptocurrency outfit, though it of gold in bullion and coins worth the gold to the Russian government, was apparently advertising the cryp- US$133 billion were likely still aboard. (which Russia is entitled to anyway!) tocurrency on its website. Shinil has with some ten percent to be spent on since shut down its own website and The ship was damaged in 1905 during tourism projects on Ulleungdo Island the Shinil Gold Coin cryptocurrency 1 - 2 DECEMBER 2018 l THE REPERTORY THEATRE l BIRMINGHAM, UK the Battle of Tsushima in the Russo-Jap- and development in northeast Asia. project has also vanished.  anese War, and a decision was made Another ten per cent would be invest- BOOK NOW! DISCOVER MORE AT WWW.EUROTEK.UK.COM

15 X-RAY MAG : 87 : 2018 EDITORIAL FEATURES TRAVEL NEWS WRECKS EQUIPMENT BOOKS Eurotek SCIENCEA4 advert - DS.indd & 1ECOLOGY TECH EDUCATION PROFILES PHOTO & VIDEO PORTFOLIO23/08/2018 23:34