SINK ESTATE: Five of the most fascinating wrecks

THE DARTMOUTH

The Royal Navy frigate, the Dartmouth sank in the sound of Mull in 1690, when a violent storm tore her from her anchor. She had been in the area order to persuade, by force if need be, the Jacobite MacLean of Duart to sign Articles of Allegiance to William and Mary. It was not until 1973 that she was rediscovered. Among the treasures recovered from her were two gold guineas that speak a great deal of their time – one with James’s head and the other showing William and Mary.

THE SS CITY OF ADELAIDE

Built on the Clyde, but wrecked in a place called Cockle Bay off Magnetic Island in Australia, this passenger steam ship (pictured) became an Instagram icon in recent times. What marked it out for social media attention was the way nature has reclaimed it over the past 100 years, turning into what looks like a floating forest. The image of the wreck became the most liked post of 2018 on the tourism website Australia.com.

BLESSING OF BURNTISLAND

The location of the Royal treasure ship, one of the most well-known shipwrecks of the Firth Of Forth, is more speculated over than properly known – and would be a significant discovery if found. While making a royal tour of Scotland in 1633, King Charles I, crossed the Forth in one ferry, while his treasure was transported in another. A sudden storm hit the latter, which carried the enormous wealth of Charles’ clothing, jewellery and plates, all of which sank, including 33 passengers and crew.

THE WHITE STAR OCEANIC

In 1973 salvage divers Alec Crawford and Simon Martin learned of the wreck of the White Star liner Oceanic, which had sunk after striking a reef called the Shaalds of Foula off Fair Isle in 1914. When it was built in 1899, this was the largest ship in the world, a luxurious Titanic of its time, which was later converted into an armed merchant carrier. Broken up by the heavy tide it was now lying in pieces on the ocean bed – a treasure trove of engine-room components, metal pipes, anchor and huge propellers. The pair used underwater explosives to dislodge these parts – and sold them on. These elements were worth a great deal. “Simon,” recalled Crawford, who told the story of his diving career in a book, Treasure Islands: True Tales of a Shipwreck Hunter, “bought a nice flat in St Andrews at the time and one propeller would’ve bought him about three of those."

THE KAFFIR

A Clyde Puffer with a tale almost to match that of the SS Politician, the Kaffir was illegally sailed out of Ayr Harbour by her engineer in 1974, during the hours of darkness. She was chased by the pilot and ended up being grounded off Monkey Pier. Efforts to refloat her were not successful and she was written off, though her cargo of 180 tons of coal was salvaged.