Archaeology Notes

Event ID 759683

Category Descriptive Accounts

Type Archaeology Notes

Permalink http://canmore.org.uk/event/759683

ND38SE 8002 3868 8490

N58 44.8667 W3 3.5833

NLO: Swona [name: ND 390 843]

Pentland Firth [name centred ND 35 81].

Horizontal Datum = OGB

Circumstances of Loss Details

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The steam ship PENSYLVANNIA struck a rock and sank, whilst on passage from New York to Copenhagen.

Source: Lloyds List, 21 August 1931.

Surveying Details

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26 August 1931. A position of 58 44 30N, 003 04 00W was given.

Source: Lloyds List, 21 August 1931.

25 February 1972. The wreck is reported at 58 44 52N, 003 03 35W on the west side of Swona Island, just below and to the west of a rock pinnacle which is awash at low water. From the pinnacle to the wreck is a drop of 12 metres. The seabed then slopes steeply to 27.4 metres. The stern, prop shaft, engines and keel lie at base of pinnacle and are parts scattered down the slope westward. There is little of the wreck left and the greater part is covered with thick sea whip. The wreck is owned by syndicate of Farmers and Fishermen of Wick.

Report by Undermarine Operations Ltd, 1971.

Hydrographic Office, 1995.

Artifacts from this loss are held on the island.

K Allardyce and E M Hood 1986.

(Classified as steel steamship: no cargo specified, but date of loss cited as 27 July 1931). Pennsylvania: this vessel stranded on the W side of Swona.

Registration: Copenhagen. Built 1907. 3759 grt. Length: 108m. Beam: 15m.

(Location of loss cited as N58 44.87 W3 3.58).

I G Whittaker 1998.