Yc21: Gutter Sound, Orkney

(Classified as lifting barge; date of loss cited as 14 November 1968). YC 21: this vessel foundered during a gale while working F2 [ND39NW 8042].

550 tons [unspecified]. Length: 30m.

(Location of loss cited as N58 50.70 W3 11.47).

I G Whittaker 1998.

NLO: Gutter Sound [name centred ND 316 968]

Stromness [name: HY 253 090]

Scapa Flow [name centred HY 36 00].

Formerly entered as ND39NW 8829.

For adjacent sloop KMS F2 (under salvage at the time of loss), see ND39NW 8042.

The location assigned to this record remains unverified.

Information from RCAHMS (RJCM), 23 May 2011.

Whittaker ID : 2539

Name : YC 21

Latitude : 585042

Longitude : 31128

Type : LIFTING BARGE

Tonnage : 550

Length : 30

Position : Exact Position

Loss Day : 14

Loss Month : 11

Loss Year : 1968

Comment : Foundered during gale whilst working 'F2'

Excerpt from the report:

'SCAPA FLOW WRECK SURVEYS

Archaeological Interpretation of Multibeam data and Desk-Based Assessment

WA Ref: 83680.03

Summary:

WA Coastal and Marine was commissioned by Historic Scotland to provide highresolution multibeam bathymetry data targeted on a number of wreck sites in Scapa Flow in the Orkney Islands. The list of targets were provided by Historic Scotland, ordered by priority, based on the importance of the wreck and the lack of prior survey at each site. Scapa Flow is a large natural harbour in the southern part of the Orkney Islands in

the North of Scotland, which served as Britain’s main naval base during WWI and WWII. Its waters hold Scotland’s highest concentrations of shipwrecks. Although some of the wrecks in Scapa Flow have previously been the subject of highresolution multibeam surveys there remain a number of important sites which had only previously been covered by low-resolution data acquisition or not covered at all.

WA Coastal & Marine conducted an archaeological assessment of the multibeam data and a Desk-Based Assessment (DBA) of the wreck sites it covered in order to enhance the historic environment record with respect to these sites and to support Historic Scotland’s work on the Scottish Marine Protected Areas Project. Through a thorough review of published and online material relating to the wrecks thought to be in the vicinity of Scapa Flow it has been possible to produce a detailed discussion of these sites in almost every case and also to clarify a number of conflicting sources. This has enabled us to state with certainty the exact location of

each targeted wreck from the multibeam survey, in some cases for the first time. In addition a thorough review of published material and diver accounts has enabled an informed analysis of features visible at each wreck site. The importance of these wreck sites can now be placed within their national and, in some cases, internationalcontexts.

A total of 18 wrecks were surveyed and assessed over the course this project. 16 of have been identified. The two remaining unidentified wrecks are both located in Burra Sound and are isolated pieces of wreck material, which may be associated with recorded losses in the area. The positions of all 16 identified wrecks have been improved, in some cases by over 100 metres. The survey has also greatly aided in understanding the relative positions of the wrecks to each other. The project has also highlighted discrepancies between some diver reports and observed details in the survey data, such as the structural details of some wrecks.'

Information also reported in Oasis (waherita1-136288) 18 June 2013

Sitename : YC21: Gutter Sound, Scapa Flow, Orkney

Source :

Aspect Survey,Lyness SeaZone TruDepth Points SeaZone in OSGB36 SeaZone Dataset 109871,SeaZone,2011