Cutter, c. 1895, State Library of Queensland, 70917
The cutter Eva is believed to be the schooner Walter & Mary, which was built by John Odgers Peters on the King River at a cost of £160. It was launched in May 1871 for Thomas Sherratt of Albany. It operated along the south coast, taking crew and gear to Sherratt’s whaling operations and returning to Albany with whale oil.
It was sold first to Thomas Place, who had it refitted as a cutter. It worked along the south coast until Place sold it in late 1892. The new owner also used it along the south coast.
Description
Cutter; with straight stem and square stern
Construction
Wood – jarrah and sheoak
Size
Length: 48 ft (14.6 m) Beam: 14.66 ft (4.5 m) Draft: 8.5 ft (2.6 m) Tonnage: 40.68
Owner
Last owner: Percy Affleck
Location
80–100 m offshore in Ringbolt Bay, approx. 1.3 km north-east of the Cape Leeuwin lighthouse
Latitude/Longitude
(-34.368748, 115.152185)
Sinking
The Eva left Esperance for Flinders Bay on 20 October 1895 carrying 200 barrels of cement for the construction of the Cape Leeuwin lighthouse. When entering a cove to land the cargo, the Eva hit a reef and sank. Only 13 barrels were salvaged. Some wreckage believed to be from the Eva was found at Cape Leeuwin in July the following year.
Underwater
The site is on an east-west axis, 13 m long by 7 m wide. There is a large mound about 2 m high that contains around 30–40 barrels of cement. There are further barrels on the southern side of the mound, part of a keelson and the top of an iron stove. At the eastern end of the site is a wooden rudder 3.64 m in length with a blade of 1.85 m. A pintle is attached. The rudder stock has a rectangular hole for a tiller. No wood from the barrels remains but the cement has impressions of the staves.
