St Catherines Point
In July 2008, a team set out to explore an unidentified wreck in deep water off St Catherine's Point. Joining the HWTMA team for the day were Mike Pitts and John Chambers, from the BBC's Natural History Unit. The objective was to explore the wreck and find diagnostic features that may help to identify it whilst Mike and John would attempt a photo-mosaic of the site. Little was previously known of the site beyond that gleaned from a handful of dives previously undertaken by Dave Wendes, skipper of Wight Spirit.
HWTMA divers survey the wreck. Photo: Mike Pitts
While the archaeological techniques used for surveying this site were relatively standard ones, the diving techniques were not. Over the past few years the HWTMA has been working alongside the University of York to develop deep diving techniques, initially for the investigation of submerged prehistoric landscapes lying up to 100 metres deep, but equally applicable to deep wreck sites. The dive on the wreck was undertaken on Trimix to increase safety at its 38 metre depth and to enable skills to be maintained and enhanced. HWTMA Director Garry Momber was joined on Trimix for the dive by Lawrence Moran (University of York) and Trevor Jenkins (All Dive Video).
To dive the site demands slack water during neap tides. This meant an early start on the morning of 4th July, sailing from Lymington aboard Wight Spirit. The divers descended onto the wreck shortly before the tide went slack, giving them the optimum diving window.
The wreck lies on a chalk seabed, with a mobile covering of gravel. It is the remains of a wooden cargo vessel. With little or no soft sediments to protect it, all of the wooden structure has degraded leaving various pieces of iron work including cannon and two anchors as well as the cargo of large blocks of Portland Stone. The divers had just 30 minutes in which to explore, survey, video and photograph the wreck. Mike and John set about their photo-mosaic; Lawrence and Trevor explored and videoed the wreck looking for potential diagnostic artefacts and Garry started a plan of the site.
A good outline plan was produced, along with photos and video. Some of the previously identified features such as cannon and anchors were located, along with several others. There now appear to be at least one cannon, two anchors, an iron cooking pot, unidentified ironwork and brass on the site. As yet the identity of the wreck has not been discovered, however, further archive research combined with targeted diving investigation should reveal more in the future.