Wreck Site 2: James Eagan Layne Site Plan
The wreck lies with her bow at 50° 19.602 N 004° 14.714 W and the stern at 50° 19.560 N 004° 14.773 W, approximately 1.2 km from the nearest land, 2.1 km north-west of Rame Head and 1.2km north of the Whitsand Bay dumping ground.
The bows are in 20m depth (LAT) and the stern is in 24m. The main part of the hull is 98m long with her bows to the north-east on a heading of 42° true, this section is intact from the bows to the bulkhead between hold #4 and hold #5. The stern section has broken away and lies some 30m away to the south-west.
James Eagan Layne Site Plan 22May11 (© Liberty70 Project)
The forward part of the hull lies in a shallow scour pit formed in the sand. In 2008 the sediment levels around the site dropped noticeably and it was possible to see the forefoot and to put a hand under the keel at the bows. Deep depressions had scoured out around the hull, especially around the structures on the seabed on the port side, so the underlying seabed formed from very large scallop and oyster shells could be seen. Since then the sediment level has raised and the forefoot is no longer visible in the bow scour pit.
The upper deck is now missing and the second deck only remains as badly corroded transverse deck beams. The holds are easily accessible and as the bulkheads between the holds and machinery space are gone it is possible to swim the length of the ship inside the hull.
The stern section is more intact than the main part of the hull, lying on its port side with the keel buried in the sand. Remains of upper deck, second deck and the stern deckhouse can still be seen.
Site Plan
The detailed digital site plan of the ship is being put together using the Site Recorder software from 3H Consulting Ltd. Using this software, sonar images are combined with digitised hull drawings and detail is added using diver sketches and underwater photographs. The site plan will be developed continuously throughout the project as more information becomes available.
If you can provide more information about this then please contact us.
