The Chadwick, a cargo steamer, sank in 1892 off the west of the Isle of Skye, after hitting rocks at An Ceannaich headland, in Oisgill Bay.
The wreck is popular with local and visiting divers. In 2000, Diver magazine published a guide to the site as part of its Wreck Tour series.
Amazingly the ship's bell was never found – until now.
'After 114 years hiding on the seabed, the bell of the SS Chadwick has finally given itself up,' Gordon Mackay, of Skye's Dive and Sea the Hebrides, told Divernet.
On a week's holiday diving from Mackay's boat, a Sub-Aqua Association club located the bell in late June – but very nearly missed out on the pleasure of bringing it up.
The divers, said Mackay, had 'done some frantic digging but to no avail', and the decision was made to return another time – but after first going out to another wreck.
But next day, headed out toward the wreck of the Doris, the divers could see two other dive boats over the Chadwick, with large groups of divers aboard.
'I looked around, saw a dozen quivering bottom lips and decided that having done all the hard work at least they deserved another crack at it!' said Mackay. 'In record time the first pair were over the side and away, and 20 minutes later the bell was on the surface.'
The bell needs careful cleaning before its name becomes visible. But, said Mackay, it’s 'in remarkable condition for the length of time in the seabed'. |
