 Wreck of the Dunraven | |
| Beacon Rock · S / S Dunraven | |
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The Beacon Rock (German Lighthouse rocks) is a egyptian Coral reef in the Strait of Gūbāl in the south of the Gulf of Suez in the south of the Schaʿāb Maḥmūd (Arabic:شعاب محمود, Shaāb Maḥmūd, „Maḥmūd reef"). In 1876 the Steamboat S / S Dunraven. Next to the wreck of the S / S Thistlegorm this wreck is one of the most popular Dive sites in the south of the Sinai.
background
The reef Beacon Rock is to the east of the Strait of Gūbāl (Arabic:مضيق جوبال, Maḍīq Ǧūbāl, „Strait of Ǧūbāl“), The southern gate of the Gulf of Suez, about seven miles west of the headland Raʾs Muḥammad. The south of the Shaʿāb Maḥmūd has the shape of a horseshoe open to the south. The western wing of the reef is through a 1 lighthouse(27 ° 42 ′ 13 ″ N.34 ° 7 '38 "E) marked, who is also namesake. The reef top is under water.
On the west side of the southwestern reef extension the ran S / S Dunraven on April 22, 1876 on the reef. The British steam sailor and cargo ship S / S Dunraven was founded in 1873 by Charles Mitchell & Co. Ltd. built in Newcastle-Upon-Tyne for Watson & Milburn in Newcastle-Upon-Tyne. It was 85 meters long, 9.7 meters wide and had a tonnage of around 1,800 GRT. In addition to the two sailing masts, it could also be powered by a steam engine. The two masts and the engine gave the ship a speed of eight knots.
The ship was led by Captain Edward Richards Care (* 1849 in St. Ives, Cornwall) when it was sailing from Liverpool above Sue to Bombay ran aground on the reef on April 22, 1876 with a cargo of steel and wood and a crew of 25. On the way back it should have transported spices and cotton.
To this day it is not clear how the ship sank. On the one hand, it is suggested that open portholes should be responsible for flooding the ship. Another theory is that the Dunraven was stuck on the reef for about a week and broke apart in bad weather. The crew was rescued by local fishermen.
Edward Richards Care was appointed by the Committee of Inquiry Board of Trade found guilty of the ship's sinking. His captaincy license was revoked for one year. Legend has it that a quarrel between the drunken captain and his wife caused the misfortune.
As a result of the accident, a lighthouse was built at this point.
The local fishermen had known for a long time that there would be a wreck here, because their fishing nets kept getting entangled here. It was first dived in 1980 (other sources cite 1977) by geologist Arye Keller and underwater cameraman Howard Rosenstein as part of the BBC nature film "The Mystery of the Red Sea Wreck: The Dunraven" from the series "The World About Us" examined. The finds on the wreck included wine bottles and plates.
The submersible sank on December 16, 2009 in the area of the anchorage Emperor Fraser after the anchor line broke. Since the engines could not be started to protect the divers, the boat was driven onto the reef. Divers and crew could be saved.
getting there
Visiting the reef and the wreck is part of a liveaboard or day trip to the south of the Gulf of Suez, which is in Sharm esch-Sheikh or Hurghada begins. The location of the reef can be seen from the lighthouse on the southern tip. The ships anchor in the area of the lighthouse, but not directly above, but north of the wreck of the Dunraven. Here you get into a rubber dinghy (Zodiac) that takes the divers to the wreck.
Tourist Attractions
Not only is it worth visiting the wreck itself, but also the intact reef with its marine fauna and flora. The current runs from north to south. The dive is easy to moderate. Care should be taken when diving through the wreck as it is narrow and has sharp metal parts. A diving lamp should be carried for the inspection of the interior of the wreck.
The wreck of the S / S Dunraven is located at a depth of 15-30 meters. The ship lies with the deck down and the keel up. The Kielspitze is about 18 meters. The ship broke apart in the middle, but lies in a bond on the edge of the reef.
The dive usually starts at the bow. The wreck is covered with stone and leather corals. To the west of the ship you can see the remains of the superstructure and the masts. Entrances to the ship's interior are near the bow or in the middle of the ship. The engine room is located amidships. Here you can still see the former two steam boilers and the remains of the steam engine. The inhabitants of the wreck include glass fish. Then you swim to the stern with the rudder and the now three-bladed propeller. A propeller blade is now missing.
The way back is via the intact coral garden in the east with its numerous soft and hard corals. The coral garden is inhabited by crocodile fish, scorpion fish, groupers and lion fish, among others.
Kitchen and accommodation
Accommodation and meals are provided on the safari ships. On day trips, only lunch is offered.
trips
Visiting the reef can be combined with other dive sites in the Strait of Gūbāl Connect as part of a liveaboard. To the north in the vicinity are e.g. the Small crack and the Shag rock with the wreck of the S / S Kingston.
In the case of day trips from Sharm esch-Sheikh there are various dive sites in the Raʾs Muḥammad National Park at.
literature
- : Sinai Diving Guide: Part 1; German edition. Verona: Geodia, 2005, ISBN 978-88-87177-66-4 . Dive site 33.
Web links
- Dunraven on wrecksite.eu (free registration required).
- The Dunraven by John Kean
- The Mystery of the Red Sea Wreck - The Dunraven - BBC 1981 on vimeo.com
