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Scapa Flow 2013 Marine Archaeology Project
Date 2013
Event ID 998503
Category Recording
Type Side Scan Sonar Survey
Permalink http://canmore.org.uk/event/998503
58 50.863 N 3 07.860 W This site was only assessed by side scan surveys. Diving surveys were not requested. The side scan surveys were completed using a winch-towed towfish.
The survey was completed over the known location of the Prudentia, and the remains are marked with an East Cardinal Pillar buoy. It is unclear who controls access to the wreck – whether permission is required from Orkney Harbours Authority, Talisman or whether the Ministry of Defence needs to be consulted.
The side scan images show the remains of a large intact vessel lying on its port side in a charted depth of 27m. The remains are 95m long and stand 9.6m proud of the seabed. The remains are lying north-south with the stern to the north. A propeller and rudder were observed to the stern. The aft superstructure and bridge are visible from the image and the forward mast appears in situ.
Analysis
Built in 1889 by Plamers Co. Ltd. In Newcastle-upon-Tyne, Prudentia was a British Oiler owned by JM Lennard & Sons Lennards Carrying co. Ltd, which sank following a collision with the SS Hermoine on 12th January 1916. Reports from the Naval Salvage Adviser to the Rear Admiral Scapa Flow concluded that the vessel was not considered suitable for immediate salvage “owing to the scarcity of the necessary salvage appliances and the fact that the vessel is not an obstruction to navigation”
(ADM 116-1507: Case 2490).
Orkney Harbours Authority commissioned two previous surveys of the remains –the first was an ROV survey completed by Keith Bichan of Roving Eye enterprises in 1998/1999 to check the oil in holds. The second was completed by Leask Marine in 2000/2001 to sandbag the top of the wreck to prevent an oil leak.
Kevin Heath dived the remains during the 1998/1999 surveys to recover the ROV when it became entangled. His report confirms the interpretation of the side scan data and can provide the following assessment.
The intact vessel lies on a sand-mud bottom in approximately 27m of water in an area with slight tide. The propeller and rudder were in situ at the stern. Many of the port holes were well preserved, particularly around the galley area, and include the brass casing and glass.
The engine room was intact containing various gauges, valves, boilers and a triple expansion engine.
The forward mast, visible on the image, is clear of the seabed. The bridge is intact, but there was no evidence of a helm or other artefacts in the remains.
Information from Annalisa Christie, Kevin Heath and Mark Littlewood (ORCA) March 2014
