The Swale Wreck Mystery
Thought to be a WWII ex-Navy wooden hulled Minesweeper lies at Elmley Ferry, Murston laying in the mud on the South mainland side of the Swale channel
Stuck in a meeting in Sittingbourne desperate for a cooling swim I made my way to the nearest water, these photographs shots were taken on a 35mm Pentax SLR using Kodachrome Negative film stock on 5th August 1984
The Hulk
You can see the pilling's at the old Ferry Crossing, redundant gas pipes transverse the channel with warning signs on the Sheppey side
Stern of the ship
There's been much debate about the wreck which is thought to be either a 136 feet long 270 ton British Yard Minesweeper (BYMS) Built in America for the USA and UK
Stern of the ship
The Royal Navy leased 150 of the unnamed J-826 vessels which were probably returned to the USA, one went to explorer Jacques Couseau and named 'Calypso'
Starboard side of the ship
The other consideration is she's a German Navy Schnellboot
Overview starboard side of the ship
Country Recycling Plant
Above view from the wreck site up the Swale towards Ridham
Here are some photographs taken on a Nikon DSLR on 24 September 2018
Seals basking on their sandbank in the Swale
Contented Seal
Elmley Ferry Southern Buoy
The Wreck and Fishing Boat 'Galeus'
Where is the Wreck?
The wreck is shown right adjacent to the the Elmley Ferry, left of centre the two sections of Fowley Island and Conyer Creek
Closer view of the Wreck
Wreck at high water
Closer view showing Wreck
Said to have been inhabited for a period the Wreck was fire bombed perhaps to dissuade the 'campers'
Wreck final image
You can access the Wreck from the A2 taking Hampstead Lane, Church Road, Blacketts Road
This will take you to Murston Farm and the sea wall, from the Barge Wreck walk the Saxon Shoreway East to the wreck