Maple Branch: Skertichenish Rock, Sandray, Sea Of The Hebrides
Steamship (19th Century)
Site Name Maple Branch: Skertichenish Rock, Sandray, Sea Of The Hebrides
Classification Steamship (19th Century)
Alternative Name(s) Sandray Island; Sanderay Island; Sanndraigh; Barra; Atlantic; Maple Branch
Canmore ID 102880
Site Number NL69SW 8004
NGR NL 64070 90425
NGR Description NL c. 642 903
Datum WGS84 - Lat/Long
Permalink http://canmore.org.uk/site/102880
- Council Western Isles
- Parish Maritime - Western Isles
- Former Region Western Isles Islands Area
- Former District Maritime
- Former County Not Applicable
NL69SW 8004 c. 642 903
N56 52.9 W7 30.9
NLO: Sandray (Sanndraigh) [name centred NL 64 91]
Barra (Barraigh): [name centred NL 67 02].
Formerly entered as Site no. 9548.
5 July 1897 MAPLE BRANCH, 9 years, of Sunderland. Lloyds + 100A1 spar deck. Survey 1/96. Steel steamship. 1716 ton, 22 men. Master T.R. Hutchison. Owner W. Ritson, Sunderland. Glasgow to Sunderland. Ballast & 4 passengers. Wind SW7. Sanderay Island, Hebrides.
Source: PP Abstracts of Shipping Casualties on Coasts, or in Rivers and Harbours of the UK July 1897-98 (1899 [C.9384] LXXXVII.409).
NMRS, MS/829/67 (no. 786).
Quality of fix = PA
Horizontal Datum = OGB
Circumstances of Loss Details
-----------------------------
The steamship MAPLE BRANCH was wrecked on Sandray island, Barra, Outer Hebrides, on a voyage from the Clyde to Sunderland. It was owned at the time of loss by F & Ritson. The vessel was built in 1988.
Source: Dictionary of Disasters at Sea.
The vessel ran aground on a rock called Skertichenish.
Source: Lloyds telecommunication.
Surveying Details
-----------------------------
1 June 1977. The vessel ran aground on Skertichenish rock, at 56 53 00N, 007 31 00W [NL 6406 9042] approximately.
Source: Lloyds telecommunication.
Hydrographic Office, 1995.
(Classified as steel steamship, in ballast: date of loss cited as 5 July 1897). Maple Branch: this vessel stranded on Skertichenish Rock, Sandray. Capt. Hutchinson.
Registration: Sunderland. Built 1888. 2681grt. Length: 90m. Beam: 12m.
(Location of loss cited as N56 52.85 W7 29.73).
I G Whittaker 1998.
The location assigned to this record is essentially tentative. Skertichenish Rock is not specifically noted on the 1999 reprint of the OS 1:50,000 map. The location of the Empire Homer (NL69SW 8001) suggests that it is situated at NL 6423 9035 (N56 52.9667 W7 30.8333).
Information from RCAHMS (RJCM), 28 February 2002.
Reference (2011)
Whittaker ID : 614
Name : MAPLE BRANCH
Latitude : 565251
Longitude : 72944
Date Built : 1888
Registration : SUNDERLAND
Type : SS (STEEL)
Tonnage : 2681
Tonnage Code : G
Length : 90
Beam : 12
Draught : 6m
Position : Position Approximate
Loss Day : 5
Loss Month : 7
Loss Year : 1897
Comment : Stranded on Skertichenish Rk, Sandray. Capt. Hutchinson
Cargo : BALLAST
Reference (19 April 2012)
UKHO Identifier : 002605
Feature Class : Wreck
Wreck Category : Wreck showing any portion of hull or superstructure
State : LIVE
Classification : Unclassified
Position (Lat/long) : 56.88333,-7.51667
Horizontal Datum : ORDNANCE SURVEY OF GREAT BRITAIN (1936)
WGS84 Position (Lat/long) : 56.88308,-7.51753
WGS84 Origin : 3-D Cartesian Shift (BW)
Position Quality : Unreliable
Depth Quality : Depth unknown
Water Depth : 0
Vertical Datum : Lowest Astronomical Tide
Name : MAPLE BRANCH
Type : SS
Flag : BRITISH
Length : 91.4
Beam : 12.2
Draught : 5.5
Tonnage : 2681
Tonnage Type : Gross
Cargo : BALLAST
Date Sunk : 05/07/1897
Bottom Texture : Rock
Contact Description : Entire wreck
Original Sensor : Reported Sinking
Original Detection Year : 1897
Original Source : Other
Circumstances of Loss : **BUILT IN 1888 BY BARTRAM, HASWELL & CO. OWNED AT TIME OF LOSS BY F & W RITSON. TRIPLE-EXPANSION ENGINE OF 242NHP. PASSAGE THE CLYDE FOR SUNDERLAND. WRECKED ON SANDRAY ISLAND, BARRA. (DODS). RAN AGROUND ON ROCK CALLED SKERTICHENISH. (LLOYDS, TELECON).
Surveying Details : **1.6.77 GROUNDING POSN GIVEN AS 565300N, 073100W APPROX. (LLOYDS, TELECON). FOR FILING ONLY. NCA.
Charting Comments : POSN FOR FILING ONLY
Date Last Amended : 15/02/2005