Irish Wrecks On-Line - Norwegian SS (No. 647a)

*Vessel Type:*	Armed Steam Coaster	*Location:*	Co. Cork
*Date of Loss:*	13th March 1917	*Place:*	Galley Head
*Cause of Loss:*	Torpedoed	*Boat Dive from:*	Red Strand
*Charted Depth:*	18m	*Irish O.S. Map:*	Discovery Series No. 87
*Height of Wreck:*	3m	*Admiralty Chart No:*	2092
*Hull Material:*	Steel	*Latitude (approx.):*	51° 32' 20" North
*Type of Seabed:*	Rocks, gullies & kelp	*Longitude (approx.):*	08° 55' 47" West
*Average Visibility:*	6 - 10m	*Convert Lat. & Long.* to -	Decimal - CLICK HERE
Image available?	Yes - see below	*Diving Experience:*	Experienced Novice

Diving Information:

Lies off Currigduff Rock in Dirk Bay which lies between Galley Head and Dunowen Head.
Wreck is badly broken up. Decks have collapsed.
Largest items are the boilers.
Abounds with Ling, cod, bream and some congers.
Warning!! Some steel shells and large bombs lying around. Do not touch!
Launch from the beach at Red Stand. A 4x4 is strongly recommended.

Historical Information:

Built in 1913 by Calendon Shipbuilding & Eng. Co. Ltd., Liverpool, and owned by F. Leyland & Co. Ltd. of Liverpool, she measured 122.07 x 15.95 x 10.66 metres grossed 6,327 tons.
She was armed with a 1 x 4.7 inch stern gun.
While bound New York for Liverpool with general cargo and bagged grain she was struck by a mine, laid by UC-43, in the engine room while four miles south of Galley Head.
Attempts were made by Captain W. Brown to get her to the shore at Red Strand, but she grounded on Carrigduff Rock.
Many salvage attempts took place to retrieve her £1,000,000 cargo of copper ingots, bombs, artillery and automobiles.
During a storm she slipped of the rock into deeper water.
Six crew died in the engine room.

Source Publications:

"Dictionary of Disasters at Sea during the Age of Steam 1824 - 1962"

by
Charles Hocking

London Stamp Exchange 1989 - ISBN: 0948130474

"Diving the Norwegian"

by
Clive Hawkins CFT's

"SubSea" Autumn 2000

"Irish Wrecks Database"

by
Roy Stokes & Liam Dowling

"Shipwreck Index of Ireland"

by
Richard & Bridget Larn

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

"Shipwrecks of the Irish Coast 932 - 1997"

by
Dr. Edward J. Bourke

Edward J. Bourke 1998 - ISBN: 0952302713

Last update - 24-Sep-2013