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Golden Gift: North Pier, Oban Bay, Firth Of Lorn
Puffer (20th Century), Requisitioned Steam Drifter (20th Century), Steam Drifter (20th Century)
Site Name Golden Gift: North Pier, Oban Bay, Firth Of Lorn
Classification Puffer (20th Century), Requisitioned Steam Drifter (20th Century), Steam Drifter (20th Century)
Alternative Name(s) Lt 706; Oban North Pier; Oban Harbour; Hms Golden Gift; Golden Gift (Lt 706)
Canmore ID 102430
Site Number NM83SE 8008
NGR NM 85698 30311
Datum WGS84 - Lat/Long
Permalink http://canmore.org.uk/site/102430
- Council Argyll And Bute
- Parish Maritime - Argyll And Bute
- Former Region Strathclyde
- Former District Maritime
- Former County Not Applicable
NM83SE 8008 8569 3031
N56 24.9833 W5 28.4833
NLO: Oban [name: NM 860 300]
Oban Bay [name centred NM 854 302]
Firth of Lorn [name centred NM 69 19].
NLO: North Pier [NAT] (at NM 8575 3013)
OS 1:10,000 map, 1976.
Formerly entered as Site no. 9059.
GOLDEN GIFT, lies in 10 to 14 metres of water and stands 3 metres clear of the bottom. Walk 15 metres S of the old sewer pipe and swim out 45 metres.
Source: Butland & Siedlecki, BSAC Wreck Register, Scotland 2, 1987.
Horizontal Datum = OGB
General water depth = 10
Circumstances of Loss Details
-----------------------------
The vessel was requisitioned by the Royal Navy and sank following a collision with the ferry LOCHINVAR.
Source; BSAC Wreck Register vol V.
Surveying Details
-----------------------------
6 August 1973. A yacht anchored in 9.1 metres off the Park Hotel, caught on an obstruction. This wreck is known to have existed for at least 20 years by locals.
Report by Lt Commander Heap, 17 July 1973.
3 October 1973. The obstruction has a least depth of 7 metres and is located at 56 24 54.5N, 005 28 27.5W.
Report by Lt Commander Heap, detached boat party.
20 February 1976. The given position is now 56 24 59N, 005 28 29W.
Report by Lt Comander Heap, 13 January 1976.
27 May 1982. Wreckage reported to stand 3 metres high in a general depth of 10-14 metres. The main frames, boilers and iron propeller remain.
Source; BSAC Wreck Register, vol V.
19 October 1989. The wreck of the puffer GOLDEN GIFT lies in 11-14 metres, just off Oban seafront in front of the Park Hotel. The main frame of the 36 metre drifter is still intact. The site is a popular night dive.
Source; Dive W Scotland, vol 1, p.155.
6 December 1989. Extensive diving investigations suggest that this wreck is non-existent.
Report by Piermaster, Strathclyde Council.
17 January 1990. The wreck is confirmed to be still existent by Oban Divers, who use it as a training area.
Hydrographic Office 1995.
(Classified as wooden steam drifter: registration cited as LT 706, and date of loss as 6 April 1943). Golden Gift: this vessel was in collision and sank in Oban harbour (Lochinvar).
Registration: Lowestoft. 42nrt.
(Location of loss cited as N56 24.98 W5 28.48).
I G Whittaker 1998.
Oban Harbour occupies an ill-defined area around NM 856 300. The North Pier (NM83SE 43) iws at NM 85754 30127.
Information from RCAHMS (RJCM), 12 July 2005.
Reference (2011)
Whittaker ID : 1980
Name : GOLDEN GIFT (LT 706)
Latitude : 562459
Longitude : 52829
Registration : LOWESTOFT
Type : STEAM DRIFTER (WOOD)
Tonnage : 42
Tonnage Code : N
Position : Exact Position
Loss Day : 6
Loss Month : 4
Loss Year : 1943
Comment : Collision and sunk in Oban Harbour (LOCHINVAR)
Reference (19 April 2012)
UKHO Identifier : 002699
Feature Class : Wreck
Wreck Category : Dangerous wreck
State : LIVE
Classification : Unclassified
Position (Lat/long) : 56.41623,-5.47585
Horizontal Datum : ETRS 1989
WGS84 Position (Lat/long) : 56.41623,-5.47585
WGS84 Origin : Block Shift
Previous Position : 56.41638,-5.47472
Position Quality : Precisely known
Depth : 7.0
Depth Quality : Least depth known
Water Depth : 14
Water Level Effect : Always under water/submerged
Vertical Datum : Lowest Astronomical Tide
Name : HMS GOLDEN GIFT
Type : S DRIFTER/PUFFER
Flag : BRITISH
Length : 36.6
Tonnage : 89
Tonnage Type : Gross
Date Sunk : 06/04/1943
Bottom Texture : Mud
Contact Description : Entire wreck
Original Sensor : Physical Snag
Last Sensor : Diver Sighting
Original Detection Year : 1973
Last Detection Year : 1990
Original Source : Merchant Ship
Last Source : Divers
Circumstances of Loss : **VESSEL, BUILT IN 1911 BY RICHARDS, LOWESTOFT. HIRED IN 1914-1919 AND IN 11.1939. IN HARBOUR SERVICE IN 1941. SUNK IN COLLISION WITH WITH FERRY 'LOCHINVAR'. ONE 3PDR GUN. (SHIPWRECKS OF THE WEST OF SCOTLAND & ARGYLL SHIPWRECKS).
Surveying Details : **H3820/73 6.8.73 YACHT ANCHORED IN 5FMS OFF THE PARK HOTEL, CAUGHT ON OBSTRUCTION. THIS WK IS KNOWN TO HAVE EXISTED FOR AT LEAST 20 YEARS BY LOCALS. (LT CDR HEAP, HN DTD 17.7.73).
**H3820/73 3.10.73 OBSTN 7MTRS IN 562454.5N, 052827.5W [OGB]. (LT CDR HEAP, DETACHED BOAT PARTY, HN DTD SEPT '73). NC 1790.
**H3820/73 20.2.76 POSN NOW 562459N, 052829W [OGB]. (LT CDR HEAP, HN DTD 13.1.76). AMEND POSN. BR STD.
**H1270/86 27.5.82 WRECKAGE REPD TO STAND 3MTRS HIGH IN GEN DEPTH 10-14MTRS. MAIN FRAMES, BOILERS AND IRON PROPELLER REMAIN. (BSAC WK REGISTER, VOL V). AMEND TO WK 7MTRS. BR STD.
**19.10.89 WK OF PUFFER 'GOLDEN GIFT' LIES IN 11-14MTRS, JUST OFF OBAN SEAFRONT IN FRONT OF PARK HOTEL. MAINFRAME OF 36MTR DRIFTER STILL INTACT. SITE IS A POPULAR NIGHT DIVE. (DIVE W SCOTLAND, VOL 1, P.155).
**HH272/470/01 6.12.89 EXTENSIVE DIVING INVESTIGATIONS SUGGEST WK IS NON-EXISTENT. (PIERMASTER, STRATHCLYDE COUNCIL, TELECON WITH CB). NCA YET.
**HH272/470/01 17.1.90 WK CONFIRMED STILL EXISTENT BY OBAN DIVERS, WHO USE IT AS A TRAINING AREA. (CB TELECON, DTD 14.12.89).
POSITIONS BELOW THIS POINT ARE IN DEGREES, MINUTES AND DECIMALS OF A MINUTE
**25.4.05 LIES ON HER SIDE, ALL WOODEN STRUCTURES ROTTED AWAY. METAL FRAMEWORK, ENGINE AND BOILER REMAIN STANDING PROUD OF MUDDY SEABED. (SHIPWRECKS OF THE WEST OF SCOTLAND, 1995, & ARGYLL SHIPWRECKS, 1994). EUT POSN: 5624.974N, 0528.551W. NE 1790.
General Comments : FRAME AND BOILERS REMAIN
Chart Symbol : WK 7.0
Date Last Amended : 09/04/2005
Date Position Last Amended : 09/04/2005
Project (2013 - 2015)
Project SAMPHIRE was designed to bring professional marine archaeological expertise into local maritime communities. The central focus of the project was to record the unique knowledge of maritime cultural heritage sites on the seabed (and intertidal zone) that is held within local communities. This was done through a programme of face-to-face community engagement, allowing knowledge exchange in both directions. The reported sites were then investigated by the SAMPHIRE Project team with the maximum involvement of local community members at every level, including fieldwork and desk-based research. The project aimed to foster a wider understanding of and interest in local maritime heritage and to promote the stewardship of this valuable local resource.
