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The SS Floristan was wrecked on the west coast of Islay while en route from Manchester to Freetown in Sierra Leone.
Photo: Richard Booth
Photo: Richard Booth
The SS Floristan was wrecked on the west coast of Islay while en route from Manchester to Freetown in Sierra Leone. It ran aground in unknown circumstances on the morning of the 19 January 1942. The weather subsequently deteriorated and with it any chance of salvaging the cargo. The increasing swell pushed the abandoned vessel further inshore until she started to break up at the narrow entrance to Kilchiran Bay, where the wreck now lies scattered across the sea bed in 10m of water.
Some features of this ship are still recognisable, such as the boiler and deck winches. The most fascinating feature, however, is the remains of the cargo, which includes steam trains, rolling stock and military vehicles, as well as general cargo. It remains a fascinating dive, despite the ravages of time and the relatively shallow depth. The wreck's location, while not subject to strong tidal flow, is vulnerable to the big swell that rolls in from the Atlantic. To reach this site, we launched the RIBs from the concrete slipway at Portnahaven.
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