Ballista: Eilean Rubha An Ridire, Sound Of Mull
Steamship (20th Century)
Site Name Ballista: Eilean Rubha An Ridire, Sound Of Mull
Classification Steamship (20th Century)
Alternative Name(s) Inninmore Bay; Eileanan Rubha An Ridire; Ballista
Canmore ID 118280
Site Number NM74SW 8003
NGR NM 72346 40641
Datum WGS84 - Lat/Long
Permalink http://canmore.org.uk/site/118280
- Council Highland
- Parish Maritime - Highland
- Former Region Highland
- Former District Maritime
- Former County Not Applicable
NM74SW 8003 7234 4064
N56 30.1 W5 41.9
NLO: Eilean Rubha an Ridire [name: NM 725 405]
Sound of Mull [name centred NM 58 46].
Formerly entered as NM74SW 8580.
Cross ref:
NM74SW 8006 ARDFERN
NM74SW 8008 RIVER TAY
For associated vessel (River Tay) under salvage, see NM74SW 8008.
For further vessel (possibly to be equated with the River Tay) under Ballista, see NM74SW 8014.
BALLISTA, is fairly intact and upright in 8 metres depth. She lies on top of 2 other wrecks, one of which may be the drifter ARDFERN.
[Source includes a location sketch plan].
Source: Butland & Siedlecki, BSAC Wreck Register 1987.
(Classified as a fishing vessel).
G Ridley 1990.
(Classified as iron steamship: no cargo specified, but date of loss cited as 6 February 1973). Ballista: this vessel was driven ashore in a storm while recovering coal jettisoned from a stranded vessel [River Tay: NM74SW 8008].
Registration: British. Built 1939.
(Location of loss cited as N56 30.17 W5 41.98).
I G Whittaker 1998.
Material reported under RoW amnesty (2001):
A4566 1 porthole.
NMRS, MS/829/77.
What is apparently this wreck is charted as dangerous to navigation immediately S of the Eileanan Rubha an Ridire. The charted depth is indicated as being between 12m and 18m, and there is a shelly seabed nearby.
Information from RCAHMS (RJCM), 23 April 2008.
UKHO chart no. 2390 (1976, amended 1991).
Loss (6 February 1973)
(Classified as a fishing vessel).
G Ridley 1990.
(Classified as iron steamship: no cargo specified, but date of loss cited as 6 February 1973). Ballista: this vessel was driven ashore in a storm while recovering coal jettisoned from a stranded vessel [River Tay: NM74SW 8008].
Registration: British. Built 1939.
(Location of loss cited as N56 30.17 W5 41.98).
I G Whittaker 1998.
Evidence Of Loss (1987)
BALLISTA, is fairly intact and upright in 8 metres depth. She lies on top of 2 other wrecks, one of which may be the drifter ARDFERN.
[Source includes a location sketch plan].
Source: Butland & Siedlecki, BSAC Wreck Register 1987.
Named Location (Nlo) (12 June 1997)
NLO: Eilean Rubha an Ridire [name: NM 725 405]
Sound of Mull [name centred NM 58 46].
Formerly entered as NM74SW 8580.
Cross ref:
NM74SW 8006 ARDFERN
NM74SW 8008 RIVER TAY
For associated vessel (River Tay) under salvage, see NM74SW 8008.
For further vessel (possibly to be equated with the River Tay) under Ballista, see NM74SW 8014.
Evidence Of Loss (2001)
Material reported under RoW amnesty (2001):
A4566 1 porthole.
NMRS, MS/829/77.
Note (23 April 2008)
What is apparently this wreck is charted as dangerous to navigation immediately S of the Eileanan Rubha an Ridire. The charted depth is indicated as being between 12m and 18m, and there is a shelly seabed nearby.
Information from RCAHMS (RJCM), 23 April 2008.
UKHO chart no. 2390 (1976, amended 1991).
Reference (2011)
Whittaker ID : 1990
Name : BALLISTA
Latitude : 563010
Longitude : 54159
Date Built : 1939
Registration : BRITISH
Type : SS (IRON)
Position : Exact Position
Loss Day : 6
Loss Month : 2
Loss Year : 1973
Comment : Driven ashore in storm whilst recovering coal jettisoned from stranded vessel.
Reference (19 April 2012)
UKHO Identifier : 002712
Feature Class : Wreck
Wreck Category : Wreck showing any portion of hull or superstructure
State : LIVE
Classification : Unclassified
Position (Lat/long) : 56.50260,-5.70082
Horizontal Datum : ETRS 1989
WGS84 Position (Lat/long) : 56.50260,-5.70082
WGS84 Origin : Block Shift
Previous Position : 56.50278,-5.69972
Position Method : Horizontal sextant angle
Position Quality : Precisely known
Depth Quality : Depth unknown
Water Depth : 6
Vertical Datum : Mean Low Water Springs
Name : BALLISTA
Type : SS
Flag : BRITISH
Orientation : 22.0
Tonnage : 200
Tonnage Type : Gross
Cargo : COAL
Date Sunk : 06/02/1973
Bottom Texture : Rock
Contact Description : Entire wreck
Original Sensor : Reported Sinking
Last Sensor : Diver Sighting
Original Detection Year : 1973
Last Detection Year : 1982
Original Source : Other
Last Source : Other
Circumstances of Loss : **BUILT IN 1939 BY W J YARWOOD & SONS OF NORTHWICH, CHESHIRE. OWNED AT TIME OF LOSS BY THE ELLIOT DIVING CO. ONE BOILER, COMPOUND EXPANSION ENGINE, SINGLE SHAFT. FOUNDERED OVER THE VESSEL SHE WAS SALVAGING DURING HEAVY WEATHER AFTER STERN MOORING PARTED. CREW OF 3 RECOVERED. (ARGYLL SHIPWRECKS, SHIPWRECKS OF THE W OFSCOTLAND, SIBI).
Surveying Details : **H2894/72 7.2.73 REPD SUNK AT BARONY PT, SOUTHERN TIP MORVEN, ENTRANCE TO SOUND OF MULL. NOT CONSIDERED DANGER TO SHIPPING. DETAILS NOT CONFIRMED. (CRHQ, SOUTHEND, TLX 6.2.73).
**H3954/70 19.11.73 STATED TO LIE WITHIN 20YDS OF HISTORIC WK OF HMS DARTMOUTH IN 563012N, 054155W [OGB]. ON NW SIDE OF EILEAN RUBHA AN RIDIRE. HIGH AND DRY WITH BOWS INSHORE. (BRITISH UNDERSEA ARCHAEOLOGY GROUP, 27.9.73).
**H2894/72 7.12.73 INS ST IN 563011.5N, 054155W. (AUTHORITY NOT STATED). BR STD.
**H5249/73 14.1.74 POSN 563010N, 054159W [OGB] USING HSA. STRANDED WITH BOWS NNE ON SW CORNER OF EILEAN RUBHA AN RIDIRE. SMALL AMMUNITION SHIP. FOREMAST VISIBLE AT ABOUT 15DEG OUT OF VERTICAL. WK BEING WORKED ON. (NAVAL BOAT PARTY 5640(M), HI 46/73). AMEND POSN. BR STD.
**H5249/73 13.6.74 STRANDED WK, PROBABLY A CLYDE PUFFER, OBSERVED IN 563010N, 054158W [OGB], ESTIMATED TO HAVE BEEN WRECKED WITHIN THE LAST 3 MONTHS. MAST & FUNNEL VISIBLE AT HW. (HMS HECLA, HN DTD 1.6.74). INS AS ST. - NM 1210/74.
**H5249/76 10.6.82 MAST MARKS ITS POSN EFFECTIVELY. MOST OF HER SUPERSTRUCTURE VISIBLE AT LOW WATER. (DIVER, 1982).
**6.12.82 DESCRIBED AS A PUFFER. REPORTED AS INTACT, LYING UPRIGHT, ON TOP OF 2 OTHER WKS, ONE A STEEL DRIFTER, 80FT LONG. THIS IS POSSIBLY THE ARDFERN, WHICH SANK 1950. THE LOWEST WK IS AN 80FT IRON VESSEL. RIBS OF A FURTHER IRON WK LIES CLOSE TO NE. (BSAC WK REGISTER).
**HH272/350/01 3.7.90 WK HAS BEEN REMOVED. (HMS GLOUCESTER, HN 22.6.90). NCA YET.
**HH272/490/02 22.11.96 WK NOT OBSERVED. (HMS SOMERSET, HN 1/96). PREDICTED TIDAL HT AT TIME OF OBSERVATION WAS 3.3MTRS. NCA.
POSITIONS BELOW THIS POINT ARE IN DEGREES, MINUTES AND DECIMALS OF A MINUTE
**15.3.07 [EUT] POSN: 5630.156N, 0542.049W. NE 2390.
General Comments : PUFFER
Chart Symbol : ST
Date Last Amended : 12/01/2009
Date Position Last Amended : 12/01/2009
