Balzac: North Sea
Cargo Vessel (20th Century), Steamship (20th Century)
Site Name Balzac: North Sea
Classification Cargo Vessel (20th Century), Steamship (20th Century)
Alternative Name(s) Duncansby Head; Balzac
Canmore ID 288493
Site Number NE86NE 8001
NGR NE 87161 68935
NGR Description NE c. 87 68
Datum WGS84 - Lat/Long
Permalink http://canmore.org.uk/site/288493
- Council Maritime
- Parish Maritime - Offshore
- Former Region Not Applicable
- Former District Not Applicable
- Former County Not Applicable
NE86NE 8001 c. 33 68
N58 36 W1 25
NLO: Duncansby Head [name: ND 406 733].
(Classified as steel armed merchant steamship, with cargo of coal: date of loss cited as 12 July 1917). Balzac: this vessel was torpedoed.
Registration: Christiania [Oslo]. Built 1913. 1720grt. Length: 80m. Beam: 12m.
(Location of loss cited as N58 36.0 W0 30.0)
I G Whittaker 1998.
The location of loss cited by Whittaker remains verified, and is about 148km E of Duncansby Head. It may alternatively fall within the quasi-administrative areas designated as Maritime - Orkney.
Information from RCAHMS (RJCM), 9 May 2007
Reference (2011)
Whittaker ID : 2472
Name : BALZAC
Latitude : 583600
Longitude : 3000
Date Built : 1913
Registration : CHRISTIANIA
Type : ARMED MERCHANT SS(S)
Tonnage : 1720
Tonnage Code : G
Length : 80
Beam : 12
Draught : 6m
Position : Position Approximate
Loss Day : 12
Loss Month : 7
Loss Year : 1917
Comment : Torped
Cargo : COAL
Reference (19 April 2012)
UKHO Identifier : 001683
Feature Class : Wreck
Wreck Category : Non-dangerous wreck
State : LIVE
Classification : Unclassified
Position (Lat/long) : 58.60000,-0.50000
Horizontal Datum : ORDNANCE SURVEY OF GREAT BRITAIN (1936)
WGS84 Position (Lat/long) : 58.59965,-0.50195
WGS84 Origin : 3-D Cartesian Shift (BW)
Position Quality : Approximate
Depth : 100.0
Depth Quality : Least depth unknown, safe clearance at value shown
Water Depth : 115
Water Level Effect : Always under water/submerged
Vertical Datum : Lowest Astronomical Tide
Name : BALZAC
Type : ARMED MERCHANT SS
Flag : NORWEGIAN
Length : 80.8
Beam : 12.2
Draught : 5.8
Tonnage : 1720
Tonnage Type : Gross
Cargo : COAL
Date Sunk : 12/07/1917
Contact Description : Entire wreck
Original Sensor : Reported Sinking
Original Detection Year : 1917
Original Source : Unknown
Circumstances of Loss : **BUILT 1913 BY NYLANDS VOERKSTED. OWNED AT TIME OF LOSS BY ARTIES BONHEUR. TRIPLE EXPANSION ENGINE OF 153 NHP. TORPEDOED AND BY SUBMARINE OFF LERWICK. PASSAGE NEWCASTLE FOR CHRISTIANA. (LL WW1, DODS, WW1SL).
Surveying Details : **H3039/26 APPROX SINKING POSN GIVEN AS 583600N, 003000W. (AUTHORITY NOT STATED). BR STD.
**H3875/26 18.6.26 AMEND TO NDW (1917) (PA). BR STD.
**H1357/62 27.3.62 AMEND TO NDW PA. NC 1942.
**27.9.78 AMEND TO WK USC PA 100 MTRS. (TONNAGE KNOWN). NC 1942.
Chart Symbol : WK USC PA 100.0
Date Last Amended : 30/10/1978
