Skerries, Anglesey

[marshallmorris]

I did a Google Search on Lord Athlumney and the Y-D website came up but I had to register to access it.  I'm not a diver but would like any information on this ship which sank in 1887.

I would also like information as to which wrecks in the Skerries area were Red Star Line vessels.

Thanks very much in anticipation.

[Mr T.]

Terry & Elfyn,

Can you help here? You've probably dived the beast more times than soft-mick.

[marshallmorris]

Further to my earlier enquiry, I've searched the internet about the Red Star Line and the only wreck listed for Anglesey is the Waesland which sank on 5 March 1902 after a collision with the Harmonides.  Can anyone confirm this?

Would greatly appreciate any info on the Lord Athlumney, please, as requested earlier.

[Jay]

Are you the real Slim Shady by any chance?

[marshallmorris]

Reply to Heads Up:  You must be joking !  Me, slim?  Repeat - I'm not a diver - just looking for info on a couple of wrecks off the Skerries.

[Angleseyskipper]

yep no problem bren
right  the Lord Athlumley did sink in 1887 on the 4th of june.
she was an iron paddle steamer of around 230 ft long  and was owned by the Drogheda Steam PacketCo Ltd.
she had on board at the time a general cargo, passengers and cattle.
in wind conditions south force 2 she hit coal rock a rocky pinnicle  which is just awash at low tide ,around a mile off shore  and founderd on it.
she is one of our charter dives and lies from around 6m to 24m on a steep rocky slope well broken up.

As for the Waesland which was reported as going down on
the 5th of march 1902,as far as i know it didn't sink.
this was a large ship nearly 440ft long so the chances of it going undiscovered off this coast are slim.
Since the average depth at low water is 46m in the area if it  had sunk you would find it easily just by looking for the surface disturbance caused by tide ripping around it.
she did have a claim to fame as she was the last Cunard  Liner to have a "clipper bow" and held the east bound Blue Riband from jully 1867 until December 1869.

i have all charted hydrographic details for the surposed  area and nothing matches the size of this ship to charted positions

however the reported position of sinking could be wildly out which is common for these waters.
hope this helps.
a letter to Lloyds of London might reveal her final fate
cheers elfyn

[steve-k]

yellow butty box
your knowlage of this area is obviously vast, we dive out of anglelsey regulaly and would appreciate info and more importantley good gps co-ordinates for some recks,

purchased scott watermans book, angalesey wrecks, whitch i thaught was a good book, but his co-ordinates dont match up with the actual wrecks

you dive out of amlock?  do you rember john and the illusion?

[Angleseyskipper]

oh yes i do ya mean john "the enemy" shaw

[steve-k]

lol  yup

dived off the illusion about 2/3 years ago and it was an illusion of a dive boat, he had the sump pump running all the time, pumping out leaks, one of the divers enquired if it was the coolent water, we said yes so as not to worry her, is he still going?

dived of scotts boat the quest out of the mennine a few times, but he has a look but dont touch policy, he even got really upset when one diver pulled up an edible crab for the pot, think he would have an heart attack if you came up with a porthole

we have our own rib now and are just getting a feel for the local wrecks, so any info/ co-ordinates would be appreciated

[Angleseyskipper]

yep john is still going he's bought a fast cygnus cyfish nice boat though he rarely does divers only anglers.
there use to be a standing joke about the "illusion" that you could'nt hear him on the vhf radio above the din of gribble worm munching on the wooden hull.
as for wreck numbers we are planning on producing a wreck diving guide for Anglesey .
the plan is to produce it in a binder with fully waterproof sheets it will cover only sport diving depths and will include transits,GPS positions ,slack times ,launch sites and hazards if any.
keep your ears peeled.
we feel people capable of doing the deeper wrecks don't need a guide and should be doing there own homework.
cheers elfyn