MANDALAY 1880–1911
The Mandalay in the Avon near Bristol, State Library of South Australia, PRG-1373-22-116
Description
Barque; one deck, two tiers of beams, one bulkhead and was cemented
Construction
Iron
Size
Length: 61.3 m Beam: 10 m Draft: 6 m Tonnage: 941 gross, 904 net
Built
Russell and Company, Greenoch, Scotland
Owner
BC Brovig, Norway
Sunk
15 May 1911
Location
The wreck is approximately 300 m east of the wooden viewing platform and information plaques at Mandalay Beach, near Walpole.
Latitude/Longitude
(-35.0061666667, 116.533)
Sinking
The Mandalay left Delagoa Bay, Mozambique, in ballast on 3 April 1911 and headed to Albany for orders. Land was sighted on 13 May and the Mandalay was hit by a heavy gale. The following day the crew realised that the barque was being driven close to the shore. By 1.00 pm on Monday 15th the barque had been driven close to Chatham Island. It became evident that the Mandalay could not be saved, so Captain Tonnessen decided to beach the vessel on the coast two miles north-east of Chatham Island to save the crew. It took the ground about 180 m from the beach, bumping hard. Part of the mainmast was lost overboard. The crew managed to get ashore with some food, and spars and sails to make a tent. By evening the weather had moderated but the Mandalay had slewed broadside on to the sea with the surf breaking continually over it. The hold was gradually filling with water from a hole in the forepart of the barque.
Underwater
In August 1992 an inspection by the Western Australian Museum found that the Mandalay lies in the surf zone, approximately parallel to the shore on an axis of 112°–292°, and about 10–15 m from the mean low water shoreline. It was exposed to a height of 1–1.5 m, bow pointing to the west. Some hull plating remained, particularly along the starboard (shoreward) side of the wreck, mainly in the forward section. Some frames were visible, spaced at about 52-centimetre intervals. The windlass was clearly visible in the bow. The stern had collapsed. The wreck is often covered in sand.
Gallery
