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Rondo: Dearg Sgeir, Eileanan Glasa, Sound Of Mull

Steamship (20th Century)

Site Name Rondo: Dearg Sgeir, Eileanan Glasa, Sound Of Mull

Classification Steamship (20th Century)

Alternative Name(s) Laurie; Lithopolis; War Wonder; Salen Bay; 'rondo Rock'; Rondo (Ex. ...)

Canmore ID 102577

Site Number NM54NE 8001

NGR NM 59551 45328

Datum WGS84 - Lat/Long

Permalink http://canmore.org.uk/site/102577

Ordnance Survey licence number AC0000807262. All rights reserved.
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Administrative Areas

  • Council Highland
  • Parish Maritime - Highland
  • Former Region Highland
  • Former District Maritime
  • Former County Not Applicable

Archaeology Notes

NM54NE 8001 5956 4527

N56 32.275 W5 54.6667

NLO: Dearg Sgeir [name: NM 595 451]

Eileanan Glasa [name: NM 595 450]

Sound of Mull [name centred NM 58 46].

For adjacent beacon, see NM54NE 19.

Formerly entered as NM54NE 9203.

Evidence = Divers Report

Horizontal Datum = OGB

Circumstances of Loss Details

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

The RONDO was wrecked on Eileanan Glasa whilst en-route from Glasgow to Dunstan.

Surveying Details

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

2 February 1935. The first report gave 56 32 00N, 005 55 00W on the west side of Dearg Sgeir. Later it was reported in 56 30 00N, 005 54 00W and to obscure the lighthouse.

Source: Coastguard, Kyle of Lochalsh. A Temporary Notice to Mariners 160/35 was issued.

8 February 1936. The above Temporary Notice to Mariner's was cancelled.

3 October 1973. The vessel was found at 56 32 18N, 005 54 37W. It lies at an angle of 70 degrees down sheer underwater cliff. The bows are in about 61 metres and stern is in 10.6 metres. The hull is intact. The propellor has been removed, and the deck and pipes are in poor condition. The vessel's length is about 250-300 feet (76-91 metres), and the beam 40 feet (12.1 metres). From keel to deck is a distance of 10.6 metres.

Report by RAF Coningsby Sub Aqua Club, September 1972.

14 January 1974. The position given is 56 32 16.5N, 005 54 40W within 50 metres of Dearg Sgeir lighthouse. The RONDO lies on a bearing of 45 degrees and 50 metres from Dearg Sgeir lighthouse. The site was investigated by divers. The least depth was 1.1 metres [mean low water springs] on the rock ledge.

Report by boat party.

22 July 1980. The wreck stands nearly vertical on her bows and is getting into rather a rotten state.

Source; Scottish Diver, May/June 1980.

29 August 1991. The site is situated a few metres offshore of the NW islet of Dearg Sgeir. It lies immediately E of the lighthouse. The stern is in 9 metres, and the bows are in 51 metres. The wreck is lying very steeply down a near vertical cliff wih the deck at an angle of 70 degrees. The vessel length is about 80 metres. The stern is encrusted with plumose anemones.

Source: Dive NW Scotland, 1985.

Hydrographic Office, 1995.

(Classified as steel steamship, in ballast; former names cited as Laurie, Lithopolis and War Wonder, and date of loss as 25 January 1935). Rondo: this vessel stranded on Dearg Sgeir, Sound of Mull. (B: 1981 2245grt?)

Registration: Oslo. Built 1917. 2363grt. Length: 76m. Beam: 13m.

(Location of loss cited as N56 32.27 W5 54.67).

I G Whittaker 1998.

This general (dry) cargo steamship of 3500 tons dwt (2363 tons grt) was built in 1917 in Tampa, Florida (in then-neutral America) under the name War Wonder I (also cited as War Wonder 1), and to a standard design (notable for their 'war' names). Although nominally intended for Cunard, she was really under construction for the British government as part of a programme to replace losses to submarines. With the American entry into the war, the ship was requisitioned into American merchant service as the Lithopolis, being completed two months before the Armistice. She was renamed Laurie in 1930 and sold into Norwegian hands as the Rondo in 1934.

The available photographs record a 'three island' ship of typical form for the period, of relatively full section and with a relatively large superstructure amidships (reflecting the triple-expansion engine) and a poop accommodation block. Two masts and derricks are situated forward and aft respectively, apparently to serve four holds. The stem is straight or nearly so, and the stern is of counter form.

The ship was wrecked on the small island of Dearg Sgeir (also spelt Dearg Sgir and termed 'Rondo Rock') during the night of 25 January 1935, having broken her anchor cable while sheltering in 'Aros Bay' [Aros Castle: NM 562 449] and drifted for some 3km towards the NE across the Sound of Mull. The ship was then in ballast, and in transit from Glasgow to 'Dunstan' (presumably Dunstan Staithes, Newcastle) to collect a cargo (presumably of coal) for Norway.

The ship came to rest balanced precariously across the island, none of the crew being injured. Attempts to drag the ship clear proved unavailing and extensive salvage operations were soon carried out. Most of the hull and machinery were recovered before the wreck slid bows-first down the NW side of the island, coming to rest in an unparalleled sloping attitude with severely bent bows to the E of the lighthouse (NM54NE 19). The bow is dug into the seabed at a depth of about 50m while the stern rises to 5m below the surface, the ship being propped against the island.

The hull has been cut down to a few metres above the keel, and reduced to its lower frames and distorted planking. The remaining identifiable fittings include the rudder post, lengths of the shaft tunnel, a winch and the broken remains of an A-frame mast (both the latter situated amidships). The coverage of marine life is profuse.

The wreck is charted (WK) on the steep slope to the NE of the island; the nature of the seabed is not indicated.

(For location plan and photographs after stranding, see Macdonald 1993, 18 and Macdonald 1993, 38, 40, respectively).

Information from RCAHMS (RJCM), 5 November 2002 [visited on numerous occasions 1995 to date].

R Macdonald 1993; Moir and Crawford 1994; R and B Larn 1998; Diver 1999.

HO chart no. 2390 (1976, revised to 1991).

(Location cited as N56 32.275 W5 54.6667 (WGS84): [NGR NM 5956 4527]). This wreck is poised precariously (bows downward) on a steep rocky slope on the N side of Deirg Sgeir, in the Eileanan Glasa group. Although heavily salvaged soon after her loss, the vessel was apparently still essentially intact in 1973 when first visited by recreational divers. No previous archaeological survey is recorded, but the wreck is now one of those most frequently visited in the Sound of Mull; the remote sensing data has been corroborated by diver reports and published sources. Neither dataset illustrated the gaps between keel and bedrock that were reported by divers in at least two places in 2002.

Both sidescan and multibeam datasets indicate that the slope comprises exposed bedrock, which is most prominent on the port side of the vessel. There is apparently a greater degree of sediment cover on her starboard (E) side, where the wreck may be retaining sediment carried by flood tides. The bedrock appears to form steps, but has an average angle of 30 degrees. At the foot of the cliff (some 40m below chart datum) there is apparently considerable sediment cover, although bedrock outcrops appear close by. The seabed around the bow is reported to comprise a mixture of coarse gravel and pebbles. Scouring is evident within the hull, the plating and inner frames being exposed in places to a depth greater than the surrounding seabed.

Both datasets indicate the accumulation of sediment at the outside of the bow, most notably on the port side and possibly achieving a depth of 3m; this accumulated sediment may contain archaeological material. Wreckage at the bow may be exposed, standing some 1 or 2m proud of the seabed. About 10m from the starboard bow, there is a piece of debris which requires diver inspection. About 110m from the bow, at N56 32.3264 W5 54.6259 [NM 5961 4536] there is a sidescan contact which requires similar investigation.

Amidships, up to 2m of the side of the ship overlies the steeply sloping bedrock. Much of the hull structure above this point has been salvaged. The plating appears to be intact (although twisted inwards) above the turn of the bilge, while the frames are set at intervals of about 0.3m and are exposed on the starboard side towards the stern. The multibeam dataset offers insufficient resolution to identify individual components within the hull, but sidescan imagery records the remains of the stern tube (up to 7m long). The remains of a possible deck support, winch on supported deck plating, and A-frame mast appear to protrude by about 1.5m amidships. The last-noted feature is said by dives to have no longer been standing in 2002. The remains of the sternpost, but not the propeller, survive at the stern.

There is considerable evidence for heavy dredge or nephrops trawl activity nearby, but the situation of the wreck must reduce the threat from dredge impact. Although the results of heavy salvage (prior to sinking) and the removal of 'souvenirs' by divers (since 1973) are apparent, much of the rapid deterioration observed must be attributed to the precarious situation of the wreck on a steep slope within a dynamic tidal environment.

(Survey area defined: report illustrated with chart extract and colour sonar imagery).

MS/2338 (pp. 25-9, 92).

Activities

Project (1994 - 2005)

Survey of maritime sites including: Dartmouth: Eilean Rubha an Ridire; Evelyn Rose (Possibly): Ardtornish Point; Glen Carradale: Loch Aline Jetty; Hispania: Sgeir Mor; John Preston: Rubha Dearg; Loch Tearnait, Crannog; Pelican: Calve Island; Rondo: Dearg Sgeir; Shuna: Rubha Aird Seisg; Strathbeg: Cnap A' Chailbhe; Swan: Duart Point; Thesis: Rubha an Ridire; Unknown: Calve Island; Unknown: Scallaslte Bay and a stone quay and Ardtornish.

Reference (2011)

Whittaker ID : 1307

Name : RONDO (EX. ...)

Latitude : 563216

Longitude : 55440

Date Built : 1917

Registration : OSLO

Type : SS (STEEL)

Tonnage : 2363

Tonnage Code : G

Length : 76

Beam : 13

Draught : 7m

Position : Exact Position

Loss Day : 25

Loss Month : 1

Loss Year : 1935

Comment : Stranded on Dearg Sgeir, Sound of Mull. (B:1918 2256G ?)

Cargo : BALLAST

Reference (19 April 2012)

UKHO Identifier : 002719

Feature Class : Wreck

Wreck Category : Dangerous wreck

State : LIVE

Classification : Unclassified

Position (Lat/long) : 56.53825,-5.91253

Horizontal Datum : ETRS 1989

WGS84 Position (Lat/long) : 56.53825,-5.91253

WGS84 Origin : Original

Previous Position : 56.53773,-5.91217

Position Method : Differential Global Positioning System

Position Quality : Surveyed

Position Accuracy : 3.0

Depth : 7.9

Depth Method : Found by multi-beam

Depth Quality : Least depth known

Water Depth : 21

Water Level Effect : Always under water/submerged

Vertical Datum : Mean Low Water Springs

Name : RONDO

Type : SS

Flag : NORWEGIAN

Length : 76.2

Beam : 12.2

Draught : 10.7

Sonar Length : 73.0

Sonar Width : 13.0

Shadow Height : 1.5

Orientation : 46.0

Tonnage : 2363

Tonnage Type : Gross

Cargo : BALLAST

Date Sunk : 25/01/1935

Bottom Texture : Rock

Magnetic Anomaly : Nil

Sonar Signal Strength : Strong

Scour Depth : 2.5

References

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