This is an easily accessible shore dive, with adequate parking and well protected from south westerly swell. It is suitable for training and night dives, and has quite a diverse population of reef animals and some interesting wreckage.
The “SS Clan Stuart”, a 3500 ton British turret steamer carrying a cargo of coal, ran aground after dragging its anchor in a South East gale on 21 November 1914. Several efforts were made to re-float the ship over a period of 4 months, but without success. The ship’s engine block still breaks the surface.
Depth
Maximum depth is about 9m, average about 7m
Visibility
Visibility is not usually particularly good, as the site is close inshore and the surge can be strong, but it is not usually too bad either, and can be judged moderately accurately from the shore.
Aerial photograph of the wreck site. (CDS&M)
Sidescan sonar image of the wreck site on heading 215°magnetic
Topography
The wreck lies in fairly shallow water (about 8m) The area is mostly fine sand with occasional low sandstone outcrops. The iron structure of the wreck has become very broken up over the years. A section of the triple expansion steam engine framework structure extends above water, with the low pressure cylinder mountings to the south west. The crankshaft, connecting rods and propeller shaft with large cast iron propeller are still in place. There appear to be the remains of a condenser on the port side of the engine. Just forward of the engine are the remains of the two coal-fired scotch boilers. Both have been dislodged from their mountings, and are lying on their sides with the cylindrical furnaces lying one above the other. The walls have rusted through in places and the tie-rods are clearly visible The wreck lies at about 45° to the shoreline. The bow at the north east end is about 30m from the engine block and is the deepest part at about 9m. The plating has largely rusted away, but a fair amount of framing is still recognisable. The stern at the south west end is about 15m from the engine block and is both the shallowest part and closest to the beach. Most of the wreckage is very low, but there are a few places where it is possible to get into covered areas. A long angled section of plating on the port side forms a small low tunnel many metres long, probably too small to get through in places, but you can see light from one end to other, and both ends are open.
Geology: Sand bottom with occasional outcrops of sandstone reef, probably of the OrdovicianPeninsula formation, but possibly of the underlying Graafwater formation. Strike is close to east-west. and dip about 10° to the south.
Conditions
The site is exposed to south easterly wind and waves, which will make the entry and exit tricky or hazardous. Dive during or after westerly winds. Generally a winter dive, but sometimes also dived in summer if the south easter has not been blowing too hard and the shore break is not too rough. There is usually some surge at this site, and the strength can be judged to some degree by watching the swells at the engine block. Swell period is important as well as height, as long period swells (10 seconds or more) have more power and cause a more disruptive surge. Suitable for night dives.
You will be able to log your find under water.
Please replace and hide the cache well to ensure its longevity.
Arrow Marks the Spot.
Please don't upload any spoiler pictures of the cache or the hide, on geocaching.com or any other social networking sites. Thanks family Behrens. Special thanks to a good friend who helped me place this cache with out him it would not have been possible.