Come and join us on Rhossili Bay Beach, by the wreck of the Helvetia.
We will be holidaying in the area, and it would be good to meet other cachers, local and holidaymakers alike, for geochat, trackable swapping, and maybe a dig in the sand. I think the tide will be on its way out at this time...
Children, dogs, and sandwiches welcome!
The Helvetia was a Norwegian oak barque that had travelled from Canada to Wales, arriving off the coast of Mumbles on 31 October 1887.
However, the weather conditions were too bad to proceed into Swansea harbour and the Helvetia had to stand down for the evening. But by the following morning the wind was reaching gale force levels, and the Helvetia was driven across the Helwich sandbank, losing part of her cargo.
Fortunately the crew were able to steer the ship around Worms Head and into the relative shelter of Rhossili Bay, where they dropped anchor to wait for the storm to subside. They thought they were safe...
But the wind suddenly changed direction and strengthened, and the anchor was pulled out of the sands. The Helvetia blew towards the beach, and the captain was forced to order his crew to abandon ship.
The next day Rhossili beach was littered with the remains of 500 tonnes of timber cargo. The ship herself was stranded, and remnants of her hull still lie on the beach where she was wrecked 135 years ago.