Type:  Wreck

Picture:

Sister Vessel

Wreck Information: HMS CHESTER II was an Iron Hulled Steam Trawler built in 1896 and owned by the Consolidated Steam Fishing and Ice Company. Like many other she was requisitioned for War Service and was lost after a collision on the 29th February 1916. As with many Wartime Losses there are no other details and no records if any of her Crew were lost. There is also no record of what she collided with ?. As far as I can find there are no photographs of her, although this is a very similar type of ship, built at the same time to similar specifications. She was 104 feet in Length, with a Beam of 21 feet, Draught of 11 feet and weighed 145 Gross Tons (this site has been adopted by an Edinburgh BSAC Branch under the NAS ‘Adopt a Wreck scheme, but no info as to what they are doing/diving)

The wreck today lies intact and upright in general depths of 26-28m on a silty/sandy seabed in an East/West orientation. The highest part of the Wreck is the Stern which is standing 2-3m above the seabed. The rest of the wreck is slowly settling into the seabed, the Holds are full of silt, and there is lots of Fishing Net lying over the deck. There is normally lots of life to be seen on this wreck, but this area is notorious for strong Tidal Streams, visibility can also be very bad, so Neap Tide Dives would be recommended. The Wreck is really difficult to find as she lies very close to the seabed, you may pick up the stern, and the scour pit, but watch for straight lines on the Sounder. (Although we did manage to find it without a GPS) She lies 100m South of No24 Port Channel Marker Buoy, 2 Miles from Gullane Bay, and 3 Miles from Fidra.

Harbour / slip: North Berwick

Parking directions:   Council Car Park or wherever you can find a space 

Distance from harbour:  7nm

Lat & Long:      N56.07118 W2.87364

Chart:   Admiralty SC734/ Imray C27

Depth:  26-28m

Tides:   Tide tables   Slack water is roughly 30minutes +/- High water and 60 mins +/- of Low Water 

Diveboat:    Divebunker   Divesafariscotland    Marinequest

Dive Shop:    Splash Sports Dundee   Edinburgh dive centre   FYM 

Accommodation:  North Berwick – take your pick

Suggested experience:  Sports Diver 

Other comments:   Can be dark with poor vis, fishing lines and lures

Created by:   Stevie Adams 

Date:  26/05/2007 

Thanks To: 

Underwater photos:  This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it

Wreck diagram:    This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it

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