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Archaeology Notes

Event ID 761468

Category Descriptive Accounts

Type Archaeology Notes

Permalink http://canmore.org.uk/event/761468

ND49NE 8001 4725 9855

N58 52.29 W2 54.885

NLO: Weddell Sound [name centred ND 477 988]

Stromness [name: HY 253 090]

Scapa Flow [name centred HY 36 00].

Formerly entered as ND49NE 8718.

For adjacent and successor causeway (Churchill Barrier no. 3), see ND49NE 16.

For other blockships in this group, see ND49NE 8010-13.

For plan indicating the relative locations and orientations of blockships in this group, see Macdonald 1990, 125.

Horizontal Datum = OGB

Buoyage =

Circumstances of Loss Details

-----------------------------

The EMPIRE SEAMAN was a steel single-screw steamship, built in 1922. It was seized by the Royal Navy as a war prize to be sunk in East Weddel Sound as a blockship.

Source; Wrecks of Scapa Flow.

Surveying Details

-----------------------------

14 March 1972. A position of 58 52 15N, 002 54 56W, or bearing 190 degree, 624 metres from Glimp Holm trig station (97) was given. The vessel is lying with its keel on an orientation of approximately 135/315 degrees. The stern and bows have been cut off and removed, also the engines and fittings. Only an empty shell remains standing in 6 metres of water, proud of the surface, and in a very strong state.

Report by Undermarine Operations, 5 march 1972.

2 March 1976. There are two large rectangular blocks of wreckage centred on 58 52 17.4N, 002 54 53.1W. Each block about 10 x 60 metres and are about 50 metres apart. The two blocks are end to end, and orientated 111/291 degrees. Both show above the level of mean low water.

Source: Ordnance Survey aerial photography dated 16 May 1973.

28 August 1992. Only the midship section remains. The bow and stern have been cut off and removed together with the engines. The midship area is very broken up, with only a few sections of plating exposed at high water. The prop shaft and rudder can be clearly seen. South of the prop shaft, the engine room area has been blasted open and no longer has a recognisable ship shape. However, much of the original engine equipment is still lying around. Two large boilers and a length of huge camshaft rise from the seabed. Steering gear lies on the seabed. A funnel has collapsed but still has remnants of the brass steam whistle in place.

Source: Macdonald 1990

Hydrographic Office, 1995.

(Classified as steel steamship: former name cited as Morea, and date of loss 30 June 1940). Empire Seaman: this vessel was scuttled as a blockship. She was also reported as sunk, through unknown cause, on 4 December 1940.

Registration: British. Built 1922. 1927grt. Length: 88m. Beam: 12m.

(Location of loss cited as N58 52.28 W2 54.88).

I G Whittaker 1998.

People and Organisations

References