South Shields Sanddancers Forum

I seem to remember someone telling me that there is a wreck inside the Tynemouth pier at the mouth of the Tyne, somewhere in the area of the Black Middens.

Is it true?

Brian there has been hundreds of ships lost on the Black Middens and the Herd sands, especially in the 19th Century.
During the 2nd World war two ships come to mind, the BP tanker British Officer sank close to the piers after a large explosion and the Belgium steamer Brabo just inside the North Pier both were subsequently cleared in the case of the Brabo it took two years.

A point of interest.

Australia has of late deliberately sunk some old obsolete ships in selected sites to create artificial reefs to generate fishing spots.

Thanks Pilot, so there was some truth in the matter.

What sits on the ocean floor shaking? A nervous wreck.

When the Tyne was in flood in the 19th century, vessels would be swept down river and ended up on the Herd Sands.

Pilot, have you the figures for wrecks on the North East coast? I read somewhere that there were 250,000 which is ridiculos. Perhasp that's for the whole country? Was the North East more dangerous that the South west? Seems unlikely.

I thought of having a map/display of wrecks in the Pilot House. Press the appropriate button and a wreck and its location/story appears on the screen. Red lights for pilot error.

Had a quick look Jerry but cannot find anything relating to "Hallet's"

I see that in 1855 there were 400 ships operating from South Shields and the Tyne.

I am posting the link to the directories Jerry. There is some very interesting reading in them, I've found out a lot of things about the area which I never knew before.

Pilot. these directories include the names of the River Tyne Pilots of their period.

http://www.historicaldirectories.org/hd/index.asp