Pricing Change
New pricing for orders of material from this site will come into place shortly. Charges for supply of digital images, digitisation on demand, prints and licensing will be altered.
Upcoming Maintenance
Please be advised that this website will undergo scheduled maintenance on the following dates:
Thursday, 9 January: 11:00 AM - 3:00 PM
Thursday, 23 January: 11:00 AM - 3:00 PM
Thursday, 30 January: 11:00 AM - 3:00 PM
During these times, some functionality such as image purchasing may be temporarily unavailable. We apologise for any inconvenience this may cause.
Girdleness: Loofa Baa, Bressay Sound
Barge (20th Century)
Site Name Girdleness: Loofa Baa, Bressay Sound
Classification Barge (20th Century)
Alternative Name(s) Girdle Ness; Holm Of Cruester; Holm Of Cruister; Lerwick Harbour; North Sea; Girdleness
Canmore ID 102913
Site Number HU44SE 8005
NGR HU 47550 42840
Datum WGS84 - Lat/Long
Permalink http://canmore.org.uk/site/102913
- Council Shetland Islands
- Parish Maritime - Shetland Islands
- Former Region Shetland Islands Area
- Former District Maritime
- Former County Not Applicable
HU44SE 8005 4755 4283
N60 10.0667 W1 8.5833
NLO: Bressay [name centred HU 50 40]
Bressay Sound [name centred HU 485 415]
Lerwick [name: HU 475 415]
Loofa Bar [name: HU 474 422]
Holm of Cruester [name: HU 476 425].
Girdleness: [max. date] 1941
60' [length]. Depth 12 metres. Salvage attempt made 1942
Archive Ref: [nil cited]
Source: Shetland Archive Service [undated].
MS/3025, no. 994.
Quality of fix = EDM
Evidence = Divers Report
Horizontal Datum = OGB
General water depth = 12
Orientation of keel/wreck = 160/340
Surveying Details
-----------------------------
A salvage attempt made in 1942.
22 November 1945. The wreck was reported in 8.5 metres, at a position bearing 007 degrees 648 metres from Loofa Baa beacon.
Report by Admiralty.
21 May 1980. The wreck was located and examined by divers on 12 December 1079 at 60 10 04N, 001 08 35W. The least echosounder depth was 8.1 metres in a general depth of 12mtrs. The divers reported an open hold barge, approximately 60 feet (18.2 metres) long and lying with its keel orientated 160/340 degree on fine sand. The highest point is the hatch cover at the south end. The depth measured by wire was 7.1 metres.
Report by HMS HECLA.
Hydrographic Office, 1995.
GIRDLENESS, Barge, 60'. Wrecked at Holm of Cruester, Bressay Sound in November 1941. Depth 12 metres. Salvage attempt made 1942
Archive Ref:
Source: Shetland Archive Service [1998].
(Classified as Barge(?): no cargo specified, but date of loss cited as November 1941). Girdleness: this vessel sank after sinking Holm of Cruister [Cruester], Bressay Sound. Length: 18m.
(Location of loss cited as N60 10.07 W1 8.58).
I G Whittaker 1998.
The location that is assigned to this record falls within the ill-defined area of Lerwick Harbour (HU44SE 32: centred HU 47722 41345). This takes the form of an extensive roadstead, comprising the waters of Bressay Sound between the narrow Northern entrance (around HU 475 445) and the broader Southern entrance (around HU 483 400). The main facilities are to be found around HU 477 414, on the W side of the Sound; recent development extends Northwards from this point.
Information from RCAHMS (RJCM), 5 October 2007.
Reference (2011)
Whittaker ID : 2407
Name : GIRDLENESS
Latitude : 601004
Longitude : 10835
Type : BARGE ?
Length : 18
Position : Exact Position
Loss Month : 11
Loss Year : 1941
Comment : Sank after striking Holm of Cruister, Bressay Sound.
Reference (19 April 2012)
UKHO Identifier : 000047
Feature Class : Wreck
Wreck Category : Dangerous wreck
State : LIVE
Classification : Unclassified
Position (Lat/long) : 60.16725,-1.14500
Horizontal Datum : ETRS 1989
WGS84 Position (Lat/long) : 60.16725,-1.14500
WGS84 Origin : Block Shift
Previous Position : 60.16778,-1.14305
Position Method : Electronic Distance Measuring System
Position Quality : Surveyed
Position Accuracy : 25.0
Depth : 7.1
Depth Method : Found by diver
Depth Quality : Least depth known
Water Depth : 12
Water Level Effect : Always under water/submerged
Vertical Datum : Mean Low Water Springs
Name : GIRDLENESS
Type : BARGE
Length : 18.0
Sonar Length : 18.3
Orientation : 160.0
Cargo : COAL
Date Sunk : ??/11/1941
Bottom Texture : Sand
Contact Description : Entire wreck
Original Sensor : Reported Sinking
Last Sensor : Diver Sighting
Original Detection Year : 1941
Last Detection Year : 1980
Original Source : Other
Last Source : Survey Vessel
Circumstances of Loss : **VESSEL SANK AT MOORINGS AFTER DEVELOPING A LEAK. BEING USED AS A COAL BARGE. WOODEN HULL. (SIBI).
**SANK AFTER STRIKING HOLM OF CRUISTER. (OFF SCOTLAND).
Surveying Details : **SALVAGE ATTEMPT MADE IN 1942.
**H5353/45 22.11.45 WK 4FMS 5FT LIES 007DEG, 3.5C FROM LOOFA BAA BN. BUOYED. (ADMIRALTY). - NM 3704/45.
**H5353/45 13.10.59 BUOY REMOVED. (LERWICK HR, LETTER DTD 15.9.59).
**8.3.78 NOW CHARTED AS WK 8.8MTRS. NC 3290.
**H3050/72 21.5.80 LOCATED & EXAMINED BY DIVERS 12.12.79 IN 601004N, 010835W [OGB] USING TRISPONDER [2 LOP]. LEAST E/S DEPTH 8.1MTRS IN GEN DEPTH 12MTRS. DIVERS REPORT OPEN HOLD BARGE, APPROX 60FT LONG, LYING 160/340DEG ON FINE SAND. HIGHEST POINT HATCH COVER AT S END. DEPTH MEASURED BY WIRE 7.1MTRS. (HMS HECLA, HI 32/79). AMEND TO WK 7.1MTRS IN REVISED POSN. - NM 1197/80.
POSITIONS BELOW THIS POINT ARE IN DEGREES, MINUTES AND DECIMALS OF A MINUTE
**17.2.04 EUT POSN: 6010.035N, 0108.700W. NE 3271.
General Comments : INTACT, OPEN HOLD BARGE, LENGTH BY DIVER
