The Thor - West Wales

[Mr_Brown]

Does anyone know anything about this wreck?

I am helping out on a survey this weekend but can't find much info - wondering if anyone could help.

links to what kind of ship it was, how it sank, crew and what it was carrying.

Thanks

Mr B

[Mr_Brown]

Thor Wreck

51 41.693' N

005 08.787' W

20m
HW & LW
Upside down

Thor – a coaster of 240 ft lying almost upside down on a muddy bottom. Sank during the war when it was swamped by a following sea. Loads of fish life. Depth 18-24m

[tom]

my logbook says:

coaster, sunk 1943 due to weather, cargo coal
upside down (leaning to one side) and moderately broken
some recognisable deck fittings, cables, big metal box in a tangle of wreckage
old green milk(?) bottles.
max depth 19.5, average 15.5m

[StephenTh]

Notes from my log for a dive on it in 2003 -

Max Depth (of the dive, not of the wreckage) 22 m.
Tidal Range 3.3 m. (neap tide)
Dive took place on incoming tide, 3 hrs. before HW.
Very broken up wreck – jumble of plates etc, mostly less only one metre above the seabed, at most 2 – 3 m. proud. Surrounded by muddy/sand sea bed. This dive quite strong current if away from the wreck. Lots of cup coral, couple of spider crabs, large edible crab in a pipe, conger (abt 15lb.) in wreck, lots of nudibranchs.
Considerable lost fishing gear on the wreck – rope, netting and a couple of pots.

[Ron Young]

The THOR was a 326-ton Dutch coastal motor vessel built and completed as Yard.43 by Foxhol SW at Foxhol, Holland and launched on 13 May 1937 for D.Schothorst, Zuidbroek. She measured: 40.7m by length and 7.4m across the beam. The single propeller was powered by an aft positioned 74hp, 4-cylinder diesel engine. Machinery manufactured by Mtrn Werke Mannheim A.G.

On 18 December 1943 she was on passage from Partington for Fremington carrying a cargo of coal, but capsized in heavy weather and SW gale and sank, near Warwick Point. She went over on her beam ends, but not before a distress signal was sent out, which brought out the Angle lifeboat. From a crew of ten, three men were lost.

Cheers Ron

[Mr_Brown]

thanks for that.

[Roger Cardy]

Dive the Thor in July 06
Depth 23.8m.
As previously stated fairly broken up. Vis can be variable.
HTH
Roger

[String]

As others have said its about 23m depending on tide.

On neaps you'll get slack about 1hr before to 1hr after milford high and low water. On springs you may not get a slack.

Due to the bottom composition the vis can be horrible especially if a SW wind has been blown in.

The wreck itself lies upside down in the haven. It used to be a fairly dull dive as it was literally just an upturned hull but apparently 2-3 years ago a storm broke it open so its possible to see more of it now (rumour is someone got a bell off it too).

It isnt permanently buoyed but you can find it with a GPS combined with a sounder enough but as it doesnt stand that proud its a little hit and miss on the sounder. I have got good GPS marks for it but its on the RIB set and dont think i have it backed up here but will have a look.