Irish Wrecks On-Line - Chirripo SS (No. 150)

*Vessel Type:*	Armed Cargo Liner	*Location:*	Co. Antrim
*Date of Loss:*	28th December 1917	*Place:*	Blackhead, Belfast Lough
*Cause of Loss:*	Mined	*Boat Dive from:*	Whitehead or Groomsport
*Charted Depth:*	28m	*Irish O.S. Map:*	Discovery Series No. 15
*Height of Wreck:*	12m	*Admiralty Chart No:*	1753
*Hull Material:*	Steel	*Latitude (GPS):*	54 45.943 North
*Type of Seabed:*	Gravel and sand	*Longitude (GPS):*	05 40.726 West
*Average Visibility:*	8 - 10m	*Diving Experience:*	Experienced

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Diving Information:

Wreck is virtually intact, although superstructure is gone, lying on her starboard side in a North-West - South-East direction.

16m to the hand rail, 28m to the bottom.

Stacks of fish about her. Covered in anemones etc.

Boats can be easily launched at the White Head slip during the High Water period (2 hours before and after High Water).

The slip is left exposed at low water.

Advisable to dive 1 to 1.5 hours before High Water Belfast, as the current is quite strong.

Most spectacular when dived with neap tides, as the amount of silt is reduced.

Historical Information:

Built by Workman Clark of Belfast, she was acquired by Elders & Fyffes in 1906, as part of their fleet used in the banana trade between Jamaica and Avonmouth.

She was powered by a 3 cylinder triple-expansion engine, giving her a speed of 13 knots.

She measured 374.3 x 47.8 x 29.5ft wide and grossed 4,050 tons.

While outward-bound from Belfast, she struck a mine layed by UC-75 half a mile South East of Black Head lighthouse, and sank.

All on board were rescued.

Her screw was raised and landed at Bangor about 1970 by Karl Bialowas.

Source Publications:

"Shipwreck Index of Ireland"

by
Richard & Bridget Larn

Lloyd's Register - Fairplay Ltd 2002 - ISBN: 1900839970

"Shipwrecks of the Irish Coast 932 - 1997"

by
Edward J. Bourke

Edward J. Bourke 1998 - ISBN: 0952302713

"Shipwrecks of the Ulster Coast"

by
Ian Wilson

Impact Printing 1997 - ISBN: 0948154993

"The White Ships"

by
R.M. Parsons

City of Bristol Museum 1982 - ISBN: 0900199172

"Underwater Ireland Guide to Irish Dive Sites"

by
Irish Underwater Council

CFT 1999 - ISBN: 0948283025

Other Sources:

Gordon Leathem B.E.M.

-
From his private notebook (2008)

Tom Watson

-
Sea Donkeys Dive Club (2007)

UK Diving

-
Internet (1999)

Vic Foster

-
Castlereagh SAC (1996)

Randal Armstrong

-
Castlereagh SAC (1985)

Last update - 08-Apr-2008