Wrecks around the coasts

[dhic001]

The Sydney Harbour wrecks thread gave me an idea. How about we all post links to pictures of interesting wrecks we know about, there must be hundred around the world.

For a start, there is the Te Anau http://maps.google.co.nz/maps/mpl?ie...01116&t=h&z=19

She lies off Castlecliffe Wharves, Wanganui, New Zealand. Built in 1879 for the Union Steamship Company, she was a transtasman passenger and cargo steamer. She was dumped as a breakwater in 1924, and is still remarkably complete. She has planking on portions of her decks, the coal range in the galley, the boiler is in place, as is the windlass, and many other fittings. Here she is when new:


Daniel

[rufustr]

Fraser Islands Maheno Shipwreck

The word Maheno means ‘island’ in Maori, which is the native language of New Zealand. The Maheno was built in Scotland in 1904 and was the world’s first ever triple screw steamer, weighing a massive 5323 tonnes. It also held the blue ribbon in trans-atlantic crossing for several years after she was launched. The Maheno was then used as a hospital ship in WW 1, following which it was purchased by a Sydney shipping company who planned to use it between Sydney and New Zealand. After several years of this trans Tasman journey the Maheno was sold to a Japanese shipping company, that at the time were running very low on funds. The company made the decision to sell the huge brass propellers from under the still-working Maheno. The reason behind this was to fund the towing of the Maheno by a ship named the Ottawa back to Osaka, Japan. Once in Japan the Maheno was to be melted down and be sold as scrap metal. It was on this journey that the Maheno was hit by an unseasonal cyclone off the coast of Fraser. Luckily, there was only a skeleton crew on board. Some of the stories of the ship washing up on Fraser tell the tale of the Japanese crew being too afraid to get off the vessel after hearing of the cannibalistic traits of the local Aborigines. Attempts were made to refloat the Maheno unsuccessfully and eventually it was left abandoned on what is now known as 75-mile beach. Another classic yarn tells of the ship being on a tilt of 20 degrees plus. One of the politicians from Maryborough held their wedding on the angled deck and photos have been found with all in sundry enjoying a slightly ‘leaned’ wedding with the Model T Ford cars parked on 75-mile beach.

[rufustr]

Cherry Venture Shipwreck

The 1,600 ton empty cargo vessel, "Cherry Venture", was grounded on July 8, 1973 after gale force winds and wild seas drove her on to Teewah Beach, 3km south of Double Island Point. the Singapore owned freighter, bound for Brisbane from New Zealand, floundered in heavy seas with swells estimated at 12 metres high.

The Captain kept both engines running full ahead and steaming into the unrelenting winds and swollen seas but the anchor kept dragging. Continuing heavy seas and wind gusts up to 120 km/hour caused the ships anchor cable to part and the Cherry Venture was beached. As the seas pushed her further up the beach towards the dunes, she gouged herself into the sand and a newly formed sandbar locked her in.

Several attempts were thwarted by strong winds and high tides and she remained firmly wedged in the sand, establishing herself as a landmark and tourist attraction until recently, when the EPA removed the last rusted remains of the ship.

[rufustr]

Rufus King Shipwreck

When Wrecked: 7 July 1942
Location: Southern

American Liberty Ship - Hull number 0280. She ran aground in the South Passage in light rain. Soon after grounding, she broke in the middle. The front half was sealed and eventually towed to New Guinea as a floating workshop. She was carrying a cargo of nine Mitchell bombers in crates, aviation fuel and medical supplies to Brisbane. Most of the cargo from the wreck was salvaged including the machinery and there were no casualties among the crew of almost forty. The stern is still visible and is a navigation hazard at certain tides.