Jasper: Portyerrock Bay, Wigtown Bay, Solway Firth
Steamship (19th Century)
Site Name Jasper: Portyerrock Bay, Wigtown Bay, Solway Firth
Classification Steamship (19th Century)
Alternative Name(s) Isle Of Whithorn; Port Yerrock Bay; Jasper
Canmore ID 101625
Site Number NX44SE 8004
NGR NX 48652 40577
Datum WGS84 - Lat/Long
Permalink http://canmore.org.uk/site/101625
- Council Dumfries And Galloway
- Parish Maritime - Dumfries And Galloway
- Former Region Dumfries And Galloway
- Former District Maritime
- Former County Not Applicable
NX44SE 8004 4865 4057
N54 44.2333 W4 21.0667
NLO: Portyerrock Bay [name: NX 480 386]
Isle of Whithorn [name: NX 479 365]
Wigtown Bay [name centred NX 52 48].
11 December 1888. JASPER. 8 years of Glasgow. Lloyds 100A1. Survey 10/87. Iron steamship. 118 ton. 11 men. Master D. McNicol. Owner W. Robertson, Glasgow. Workington to Glasgow. Steel rails. 11 dead. Isle of Whithorn.
Source: PP Abstracts of Shipping Casualties on Coasts, or in Rivers and Harbours of the UK July 1888-89 (1890 [C.6115] LXVI.543).
NMRS, MS/829/68 (no. 1612).
JASPER (POSSIBLY), steel vessel about 120' long, 13 metres depth. Wreck, very corroded, rises 4 to 5 metres above the seabed of sand and shell.
[Source includes sketches illustrating the transits.]
Source: Butland & Siedlecki, BSAC Wreck Register 1987.
Horizontal Datum = OGB
General water depth = 13
Circumstances of Loss Details
-----------------------------
The vessel was lost while en route from Workington to Glasgow. The cargo of steel rails was salvaged.
Surveying Details
-----------------------------
8 February 1968. A wreck was reported by N. Macauley (RAE West Freugh) at an approximate position of one mile north of Portyerrock Bay and approximately 0.5 miles off shore. The exact position is given as 54 44 14N, 004 21 04W. The divers found what is in their opinion the wreck of a fairsized ship that has an overall length of approx 110 to 120 ft (33.5 - 36.5 metres) and its height from the sea bed, to what was estimated to be the probable deck rail, is approximately 12 to 15 feet (3.6 - 4.4 metres). It is possible that this height could be more as the sea bed is of a soft nature at this point. The ship could have sunkdown in the mud. Many pieces of the ship are strewn around quite a large area. Divers retreived a large piece of copper pipe. The depth of water in which this wreck is lying is 19.5 metres at 1 hour before high tide.
Source: letters via the Board of Trade.
23 July 1981. The wreck is reported as 120 feet (36.5 metres) long. It is mostly badly rusted debris lying in 13 metres
3 September 1983. Identified as the JASPER.
Source: W E Butland, 25 July 1983.
18 April 1983. To locate - dry stone dyke, follow out until decca mast in transit with gable end of red stone farmhouse at Sheddock.
Report by HMS FAWN.
Hydrographic Office 1995.
Classified as iron steamship, with cargo of iron rails: date of loss cited as 11 December 1888). Jasper: this vessel foundered in Port Yerrock Bay [Portyerrock Bay]. Capt. McNicol.
Registration: Glasgow. Built 1880. 279grt. Length: 44m. Beam: 7m.
(Location of loss cited as N54 44.23 W4 21.05).
I G Whittaker 1998.
Loss (11 December 1888)
11 December 1888. JASPER. 8 years of Glasgow. Lloyds 100A1. Survey 10/87. Iron steamship. 118 ton. 11 men. Master D. McNicol. Owner W. Robertson, Glasgow. Workington to Glasgow. Steel rails. 11 dead. Isle of Whithorn.
Source: PP Abstracts of Shipping Casualties on Coasts, or in Rivers and Harbours of the UK July 1888-89 (1890 [C.6115] LXVI.543).
NMRS, MS/829/68 (no. 1612).
Classified as iron steamship, with cargo of iron rails: date of loss cited as 11 December 1888). Jasper: this vessel foundered in Port Yerrock Bay [Portyerrock Bay]. Capt. McNicol.
Registration: Glasgow. Built 1880. 279grt. Length: 44m. Beam: 7m.
(Location of loss cited as N54 44.23 W4 21.05).
I G Whittaker 1998.
Evidence Of Loss (8 February 1968)
JASPER (POSSIBLY), steel vessel about 120' long, 13 metres depth. Wreck, very corroded, rises 4 to 5 metres above the seabed of sand and shell.
[Source includes sketches illustrating the transits.]
Source: Butland & Siedlecki, BSAC Wreck Register 1987.
Horizontal Datum = OGB
General water depth = 13
Circumstances of Loss Details
-----------------------------
The vessel was lost while en route from Workington to Glasgow. The cargo of steel rails was salvaged.
Surveying Details
-----------------------------
8 February 1968. A wreck was reported by N. Macauley (RAE West Freugh) at an approximate position of one mile north of Portyerrock Bay and approximately 0.5 miles off shore. The exact position is given as 54 44 14N, 004 21 04W. The divers found what is in their opinion the wreck of a fairsized ship that has an overall length of approx 110 to 120 ft (33.5 - 36.5 metres) and its height from the sea bed, to what was estimated to be the probable deck rail, is approximately 12 to 15 feet (3.6 - 4.4 metres). It is possible that this height could be more as the sea bed is of a soft nature at this point. The ship could have sunkdown in the mud. Many pieces of the ship are strewn around quite a large area. Divers retreived a large piece of copper pipe. The depth of water in which this wreck is lying is 19.5 metres at 1 hour before high tide.
Source: letters via the Board of Trade.
23 July 1981. The wreck is reported as 120 feet (36.5 metres) long. It is mostly badly rusted debris lying in 13 metres
3 September 1983. Identified as the JASPER.
Source: W E Butland, 25 July 1983.
18 April 1983. To locate - dry stone dyke, follow out until decca mast in transit with gable end of red stone farmhouse at Sheddock.
Report by HMS FAWN.
Hydrographic Office 1995.
Reference (2011)
Whittaker ID : 2983
Name : JASPER
Latitude : 544414
Longitude : 42103
Date Built : 1880
Registration : GLASGOW
Type : SS (IRON)
Tonnage : 279
Tonnage Code : G
Length : 44
Beam : 7
Draught : 3m
Loss Day : 11
Loss Month : 12
Loss Year : 1888
Comment : Foundered in Port Yerrock Bay. Capt. McNicol
Cargo : STEEL RAILS
Reference (19 April 2012)
UKHO Identifier : 005365
Feature Class : Wreck
Wreck Category : Dangerous wreck
State : LIVE
Classification : Unclassified
Position (Lat/long) : 54.73722,-4.35111
Horizontal Datum : ORDNANCE SURVEY OF GREAT BRITAIN (1936)
WGS84 Position (Lat/long) : 54.73731,-4.35232
WGS84 Origin : 3-D Cartesian Shift (BW)
Position Quality : Precisely known
Depth Quality : Depth unknown
Water Depth : 13
Vertical Datum : Lowest Astronomical Tide
Name : JASPER
Type : SS
Flag : BRITISH
Length : 36.6
Sonar Length : 36.0
Tonnage : 118
Tonnage Type : Gross
Cargo : STEEL RAILS
Date Sunk : 11/12/1888
Contact Description : Notable debris
Original Sensor : Diver Sighting
Last Sensor : None reported
Original Detection Year : 1968
Last Detection Year : 1983
Original Source : Divers
Last Source : Other
Circumstances of Loss : **LOST WHILE EN ROUTE WORKINGTON TO GLASGOW. CARGO OF STEEL RAILS WERE SALVAGED.
Surveying Details : **H3545/68 8.2.68 WK DIVED IN 544414N, 042104W. WRECK OF A FAIR SIZED SHIP, LENGTH APPROX 110 TO 120 FT, HT 12 TO 15 FT. SEABED SOFT MUD. MANY PIECES OF THE SHIP ARE STREWN AROUND QUITE A LARGE AREA. (N MACAULEY, LTR VIA THE BOT). INS AS DW. BR STD.
**H3545/68 13.8.70 INS DW BY NM. - NM 1396/70.
**H5249/76 23.7.81 REPD AS 120FT LONG. MOSTLY BADLY RUSTED DEBRIS LYING IN 13MTRS. (AUTHORITY NOT NOTED).
**H5249/76 23.9.83 IDENTIFIED AS THE JASPER. (W E BUTLAND, 25.8.83).
General Comments : AREA OF DEBRIS, LENGTH BY DIVER
Chart Symbol : DW
Date Last Amended : 30/11/1978
