Images courtesy of www.westcoastdivepark.com.auThis 400 tonne former fishing vessel was the first purpose sunk dive wreck in the Perth metropolitan area.
The Saxon Ranger (formerly Atlantic Seal) was built around 1960 in Grimsby, England at a cost of 100,000 pounds to work as a side trawler in the North Atlantic ocean. The vessel is 37m in length with a beam of 9m and hosted a crew of 17.
Owned by the British Trawler Company, arrangements were made in 1974 for the vessel to be used to develop a southern fishery off Albany. It was later sold and arrived in Australian waters working around Tasmania and Albany WA with occasional trips into the Antarctic. The first catch of 52 tonne of fish was blockaded by unions and had to be hand filleted on board.
Continually plagued with 'bad luck' the vessel suffered numerous breakdowns, broke moorings, ran out of fuel, and was finally salvaged from the shores of Rockingham after a gale in 2003.
Considered a jinx, the Saxon Ranger now lies in 18m of water amongst other sunken wrecks on the seabed floor of the West Coast Dive Park.
The Saxon Ranger (formerly Atlantic Seal) was built around 1960 in Grimsby, England at a cost of 100,000 pounds to work as a side trawler in the North Atlantic ocean. The vessel is 37m in length with a beam of 9m and hosted a crew of 17.
Owned by the British Trawler Company, arrangements were made in 1974 for the vessel to be used to develop a southern fishery off Albany. It was later sold and arrived in Australian waters working around Tasmania and Albany WA with occasional trips into the Antarctic. The first catch of 52 tonne of fish was blockaded by unions and had to be hand filleted on board.
Continually plagued with 'bad luck' the vessel suffered numerous breakdowns, broke moorings, ran out of fuel, and was finally salvaged from the shores of Rockingham after a gale in 2003.
Considered a jinx, the Saxon Ranger now lies in 18m of water amongst other sunken wrecks on the seabed floor of the West Coast Dive Park.
Date: 13/10/2007
Max: 18m
Avg: 14m
BT: 45mins
RT: 52mins
BG: EAN32
Deco: EAN50
Max: 18m
Avg: 14m
BT: 45mins
RT: 52mins
BG: EAN32
Deco: EAN50
i was one of the crew who fetch her from grimsby its nice to see how she met here end in here day she was one of the quickest ships in grimsby. and when we were in cyclone tracy she proved hereself to be one of the best ships ever i have been on in bad weather because iam here to tell this story thanks kevin hall (blue)
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