Divers revive memories of 91-year wreck

Press, 31 August 1977, Page 24

Divers revive memories of 91-year wreck

Bv

D. W. HODGE,

The porthole found by the husband-and-wife diving team. David and Jacqueline Miller, of Timaru. has revived memories of Timaru’s last wreck — on June 12, 1886. The vessel was the 1128-tonnes Lyttelton, whose grave lies off the entrance to Timaru harbour, 500 metres north of the north mole. The Lyttelton was being towed to sea by the Union Company's steamer Grafton, in the absence at Port Chalmers of the harbour board’s tug It was a smooth sea, with no wind, but a long

swell was running into the bay. All went well until almost clear of the buoys when the Grafton, taking a turn to the northwest, slackened up the tow line. The Lyttelton, instead of following suit, went straight. on as if making direct for the Ninety-Mile Beach. The captain let the ship run until the line tightened but then dropped the “pick.” Two extra lines were bent on, but towing had hardly started when the Lyttelton started to settle by the head. As she was rapidly filling, orders were given to launch the boats. The vessel, laden with meat and wool, started to sink just before 9 a.m. In 20 minutes it had settled on the bottom. She lay about three ship’s lengths ahead of the wreck buoy marking the spot where the barque Duke of Suth« erland lay rotting. The Duke of Sutherland had sprung a leak striking the

bottom while lying in the roadstead on May 2, 1882, at a point in the bay midway between the NinetyMile Beach and the main wharf. At high water, the Lyttelton's poop and forecastle head were just awash. The casualty was caused by the anchor knocking a hole in the ship forward. The Lyttelton was eventually dismantled. During the afternoon of May 12, the sea smashed up the deckhouse and cabin fittings. The vessel later drifted two ship’s lengths towards the shore, where she lay em-

bedded. the water up to her bulwarks fore and aft. Finally, she was abandoned to the underwriters. Built at Port Glasgow in 1878, the Lyttelton was an exceedingly handsome ship — 71 metres long, with a beam of 10.6 metres. Eventually, James Strachan and associates arranged to hire the necessary gear, the tug Titan, and surfboats from the harbour board with the object of refloating the ship. But the sea damaged the hull and the project was abandoned. The wreck, which was considered to be a danger to navigation, was blown up and for many years after a bell-buoy tolled over her bones. Miller and his wife descended to the wreck with E. A. Boraman, W. Bailey, and P. Fields. They recovered the porthole — one of two to have been salvaged from the wreck — and a length of lead pipe. They made a second dive in an unsuccessful at-

tempt to remove two por hole rims fitted into tl ship’s side. David Miller, a Timar. Harbour Board diver, made the first descent to the wreck about two years ago. He was accompanied on that occasion by another underwater specialist, V. F. Yeldon, who made a perilous examination of the shifting hull of the Treneglos when the freighter hit Patiti reef, south of Timaru harbour, a few years ago. Miller says that the Lyttelton lies about 10 metres down “The wreck is cov ered in mussels and marine growth: everything is sharp, which makes for dangerous diving.” Visibility was about a metre, and it took the highly-ex-perienced team two hours to remove the port-hole. Little has been recovered from the wreck, apart from the portholes and a few bits and pieces. The conditions are all against frequent diving, says Mr Miller. However, he will further attempt to shift the porthole rims. It is interesting to recall that the Shaw, Savill and Albion Company, owners of the Lyttelton, sued the harbour board for damages amounting to £31,792, and the Supreme Court obtained judgment which was upheld by the Appeal Court. The case was taken to the Privy Council, which found in favour of the harbour board, with costs amounting to $4550. It was laid down that a ship under tow was responsibile for the actions of the tug The captain of the Grafton had been ordered to pay costs of the inquiry.