Captayannis

The Captayannis is a Greek sugar-carrying vessel that sank in the River Clyde, Scotland in 1974.

hipwreck

On the evening of 27 January 1974, a storm blew the vessel from its anchor while she was waiting at the Tail of the Bank to deliver sugar to the James Watt Dock in Greenock. She collided with the BP tanker "British Light". The tanker suffered no damage but her anchor chains holed the sugar boat allowing water to pour in.

"Captayannis"' captain tried to make for the sheltered waters of the Gareloch. Realising that water was flowing in so fast that she was in imminent danger of sinking, he opted to beach her in the shallow waters over the sandbank and steered to the desired spot where she stuck fast. The pilot boats, the tug "Labrador" and Clyde Marine Motoring's "Rover" came to assist. The vessel heeled over so far that it was possible for the crew to jump onto the deck of the diminutive passenger vessel. 25 of the crew were taken ashore, but the Captain and four crewmen waited on the "Labrador", standing off the stricken vessel. The ship finally succumbed the next morning, rolling onto her side. She has lain there ever since. Most, if not all of her more valuable metals and fittings have been removed by looters, leaving little of the split-style superstructure.

Today

Through time "Captayannis" has become 'home' to marine life and birds. She has never been removed as confusion surrounds the identity of her owners and insurers - no-one admits responsibility for her removal. Plans to have her blown up were shelved as there were fears about damage to nearby bird sanctuary, Ardmore Point. She seems set to remain until every piece of metal has rusted away. She evinces much public interest, but little is known of her by onlookers, all they see is the rusting remains of a sugar boat. [cite web| title=Captayannis: The Clyde's Most Obvious Wreck| url=http://www.clydesite.co.uk/articles/captayannis.asp| publisher=Clydesite Magazine| accessdate=2007-07-22]

The wreck is a familiar site around the Tail of the Bank. She can be seen on satellite images. [cite web| url=http://virtualglobetrotting.com/map/5755/| title=Captayannis (Sunken ship)| publisher=Globe Trotting| accessdate=2007-07-22]

Wreck

* Area: Sand bank between Greenock and Helensburgh
* Location: River Clyde Scotland UK
* Position: coord|55|58|34|N|4|44|31|W|display=title,inline
* Max. Depth: 9.00
* Year Sank: 1974
* How Sank: Hit anchor chain of another ship.
* Condition: Substantially intact [cite web| url=http://www.chippenhamdivers.co.uk/lookup/sfx_12_4.htm| title=Wreck Lookup| publisher=Chippenham Divers (BSAC1662)| accessdate=2007-07-22]

Notes

External links

* [http://www.panoramio.com/photo/2190722 Photo of Captayannis wreck, May 2007]