SWIFT 1883–1896
Wooden ketches at Port Adelaide, AD Edwards Collection, State Library of South Australia, PRG-1373-35-88
Description
Ketch; one deck, a round stern, a scroll head and a centreboard
Construction
Wood
Size
Length: 84.8 ft (25.85 m) Beam: 20.5 ft (6.25 m) Depth: 7.3 ft (2.23 m) Tonnage: 74.37 gross & net, 73.48 underdeck
Built
S Griffiths, Mersey River, Tasmania
Owner
JR Conolly, Esperance Bay
Sunk
31 August 1896
Location
Twilight Cove. The coastline is moving out to sea at 3 m per year and the Swift was buried 55 m inland from the first sand ridge above high water mark in 2015.
Latitude/Longitude
(-32.2833333333, 126.0166666667)
Sinking
The Swift was employed in carrying material for 65 miles of the overland telegraph between Eyre and Ponton’s Station, which was to be landed at Twilight Cove. The Swift was sailing under full sail into Twilight Cove from the south-west with a crewman taking soundings. He reported 9.6 m, but before he could cast the lead again the vessel struck an uncharted rock. The heavy sea carried the vessel over that rock and onto another. The Swift began leaking badly and was abandoned by the crew, all of whom reached shore safely. Site conditions were difficult but much of the cargo had been salvaged by 7 September, only one week after the wrecking.
Underwater
The wreck was inspected by the WA Museum in 1977. It lies on its starboard side roughly parallel with the shore line, bow towards the east-north-east. The stern is buried under a large sand ridge, and the port side has collapsed. Most of the fastenings are of iron. A substantial part of the hull was intact, and the timber appeared to be in excellent condition. There are an iron hawse pipe, two iron cog wheels believed to be part of the windlass, two iron knees and other artefacts at the site.
Gallery