Tobago: Lossit Bay, Islay, Atlantic
Steamship (20th Century)
Site Name Tobago: Lossit Bay, Islay, Atlantic
Classification Steamship (20th Century)
Alternative Name(s) Tabago; Latava; Sundmar; Erica Vinga; 'near The Rhinns [of Islay]'; Rhinnas Point; Rhinns Of Islay; North Channel; Tobago; Tobago (Ex. Latava, ...)
Canmore ID 102616
Site Number NR15NE 8003
NGR NR 17355 55028
Datum WGS84 - Lat/Long
Permalink http://canmore.org.uk/site/102616
- Council Argyll And Bute
- Parish Maritime - Argyll And Bute
- Former Region Strathclyde
- Former District Maritime
- Former County Not Applicable
NR15NE 8003 1543 5515
N55 42.3667 W6 30
NLO: Lossit Bay [name: NR 174 559]
Lossit Point [name: NR 170 565]
Rhinns of Islay [name centred NR 21 57]
Islay [name centred NR 38 60].
Formerly entered as NR15NE 9244.
Steamer TOBAGO, of Latvia, master Rozing. Bound from Iceland to Oporto, Portugal. Lost 13 Aug 1940, 12.30am. Lossel Bay (Lossit Bay), 2 miles from Rhinns of Islay Lighthouse. Cause of wreck, thich fog. All crew saved. Cargo salt fish.
[Contemporary] source: Lightkeeper, Rhinns of Islay Lighthouse.
Quality of fix = PA
Horizontal Datum = OGB
General water depth = 5
Circumstances of Loss Details
-----------------------------
The TABAGO ran ashore and became a total loss en-route from Reykjavik to Ardrossan and Lisbon.
Surveying Details
-----------------------------
29 July 1940. A position of 55 44 00N, 006 30 00W was given
23 September 1955. The admiralty reply to letter re the purchase of scrap near this position in Kilchiaran Bay, Islay.
27 February 1985. The Latvian cargo ship, TABAGO, went ashore south of Lossit Bay on the 12 August 1940 with a cargo of salt fish.
Letter from S I Blackburn, 17 February 1985.
27 February 1985. The wreck of the TABAGO, sunk 1940 at 55 42 22N, 006 30 00W, south of Lossit Bay (NGR NR 174 550) in a general depth of 5 metres.
Source: Dive West Scotland by G Ridley, p.126.
Hydrographic Office, 1995.
(Classified as steel steamship, with cargo of dried fish: former names cited as Latava, Sundmar and Erica Vinga, and date of loss as 12 August 1940). Tobago: this vessel stranded near the Rhinns [of Islay].
Registration: Latvian. Built 1900. 774grt. Length: 57m. Beam: 9m.
(Location of loss cited as N55 42.37 W6 30.0).
I G Whittaker 1998.
The location assigned to this record remains unverified, and no detailed description of the wreck remains is apparently available. Rhinns of Islay lighthouse (NR15SE 15) is at NR 16345 51414.
Information from RCAHMS (RJCM), 24 April 2005.
Loss (12 August 1940)
Steamer TOBAGO, of Latvia, master Rozing. Bound from Iceland to Oporto, Portugal. Lost 13 Aug 1940, 12.30am. Lossel Bay (Lossit Bay), 2 miles from Rhinns of Islay Lighthouse. Cause of wreck, thich fog. All crew saved. Cargo salt fish.
[Contemporary] source: Lightkeeper, Rhinns of Islay Lighthouse.
(Classified as steel steamship, with cargo of dried fish: former names cited as Latava, Sundmar and Erica Vinga, and date of loss as 12 August 1940). Tobago: this vessel stranded near the Rhinns [of Islay].
Registration: Latvian. Built 1900. 774grt. Length: 57m. Beam: 9m.
(Location of loss cited as N55 42.37 W6 30.0).
I G Whittaker 1998.
Note (24 April 2005)
The location assigned to this record remains unverified, and no detailed description of the wreck remains is apparently available. Rhinns of Islay lighthouse (NR15SE 15) is at NR 16345 51414.
Information from RCAHMS (RJCM), 24 April 2005.
Reference (2011)
Whittaker ID : 1898
Name : TOBAGO (EX. LATAVA, ...)
Latitude : 554222
Longitude : 63000
Date Built : 1900
Registration : LATVIAN
Type : SS (STEEL)
Tonnage : 774
Tonnage Code : G
Length : 57
Beam : 9
Draught : 4m
Position : Position Approximate
Loss Day : 12
Loss Month : 8
Loss Year : 1940
Comment : Stranded near the Rhinns
Cargo : DRIED FISH
Reference (19 April 2012)
UKHO Identifier : 003702
Feature Class : Wreck
State : LIVE
Classification : Unclassified
Position (Lat/long) : 55.70611,-6.50000
Horizontal Datum : ORDNANCE SURVEY OF GREAT BRITAIN (1936)
WGS84 Position (Lat/long) : 55.70604,-6.50094
WGS84 Origin : 3-D Cartesian Shift (BW)
Previous Position : 55.73333,-6.50000
Position Quality : Unreliable
Depth Quality : Depth unknown
Water Depth : 0
Vertical Datum : Lowest Astronomical Tide
Name : TOBAGO
Type : SS
Flag : LATVIAN
Length : 58.2
Beam : 9.4
Draught : 3.7
Tonnage : 774
Tonnage Type : Gross
Cargo : DRIED FISH
Date Sunk : 12/08/1940
Bottom Texture : Rock
Contact Description : Entire wreck
Original Sensor : Reported Sinking
Last Sensor : Diver Sighting
Original Detection Year : 1940
Last Detection Year : 1985
Original Source : Other
Last Source : Divers
Circumstances of Loss : **EX-LATAVA, EX-SUNDMAR, EX-ERICA, EX-VINGA. BUILT IN 1900 BY V A LINDHOLMENS, GOTHENBURG. OWNED BY G H TIAMERT, LATVIA. ONE BOILER, TRIPLE EXPANSION ENGINE OF 93 NHP, SINGLE SHAFT. PASSAGE REYKJAVIK FOR ARDROSSAN. RAN ASHORE IN BAD WEATHER AND BECAME A TOTAL LOSS. CREW RECOVERED BY SS HIGHWOOD. (SIBI, SHIPWRECKS OF THE W OF SCOTLAND).
Surveying Details : **H0785/40 29.7.40 SINKING POSN GIVEN AS 554400N, 063000W. (AUTHORITY NOT STATED).
**H5056/55 23.9.55 ADMIRALTY REPLY TO LETTER RE PURCHASE OF SCRAP NEAR THIS POSN, KILCHIARAN BAY, ISLAY.
**H1281/85/61 27.2.85 LATVIAN SHIP TOBAGO WENT ASHORE SOUTH OF LOSSIT BAY ON 12 AUG 1940 WITH CARGO OF SALTED FISH. (MR S I BLACKBURN, LTR DTD 17.2.85).
**27.2.85 WK OF TOBAGO, SUNK 1940, IN 554222N, 063000W, SOUTH OF LOSSIT BAY. IN GEN DEPTH 5MTRS. (DIVE - WEST SCOTLAND, G RIDLEY). POSN FOR FILING ONLY.
Charting Comments : POSN FOR FILING ONLY
Date Last Amended : 13/04/2005
Date Position Last Amended : 20/03/1985
