Report on the "Baltic - May 2008" explorations.

Position 1. φ = 55° 09.xxx’N λ = 18° 06.xxx’E


Having localized an object with a sonic depth finder, dives were performed at φ = 55° 09.xxx’N, λ = 18° 06.xxx’ E on 14 May 2008. What was found was the after part of a metal hull of a ship with a helm, screw, bulwark and damaged poops. Massive damages and a number of nets made it impossible to precisely define a type of the vessel. On the starboard there was a gallows which confirmed that it was probably a trawler. The long brow pooping and the rounded rudder suggest that the vessel was built in the first half of the 20th century. The wreck lies on the axis close to the SW-NE direction, bottom depth 63 m, the highest point is at 57 m. Around the hull there are a number of small remains of the vessel at a distance of about 60 m in the NW direction. Another big piece jutting out over 2 meters; no diving there.

Position 2. φ =55° 01.xxx’N λ = 18° 18.xxx’E


Having localized an object with a sonic depth finder, dives were performed at φ =55° 01.xxx’N λ = 18° 18.xxx’ E on 15 May 2008 (the position applied for was specified in the reference system EURO 1950, whereas the diving position WGS 84). What was found was a wreck of a B-25s smack, slightly tilted to the right. Her good condition (missing masts only; still visible a caption Bóg z nami above the companion-way to the bow room) shows that she has sunk not long ago. Bottom depth 44 m; the smallest depth above the wreck 36.6 m. It is certainly smack W?A-87 which, according to the descriptions, is said to have sunk 11.5 NM to the north of W?adys?awowo.

Position 3. φ =54° 58.xxx’N λ = 18° 15.xxx’E


Having localized an object with a sonic depth finder, dives were performed at φ =54° 58.xxx’N λ = 18° 15.xxx’ E on May (the position applied for was specified in the reference system EURO 1950, whereas the diving position WGS 84). In this place on the bottom a rock was detected, 5 m long and 1 m high, with a lot of smaller stones around. The depth was 29 meters there.

Position 4. φ =55° 02.xxx’N λ = 18° 08.xxx’E


Having localized an object with a sonic depth finder, dives were performed on 16 May 2008. What was found was a wreck of a small vessel with a wooden hull, probably of a small smack with a length of more than 10 m. The wreck, deeply sunk in the bottom, was covered with a number of nets which made the identification of the vessel impossible. The highest point was at a depth of 36.6 m, the depth near the wreck was 37.7 m.

Position 5. φ =54° 52.xxx’N λ = 18° 17.xxx’E


Having localized an object with a sonic depth finder, dives were performed on 16 May 2008. The divers came across many remains of a cut-up steamer with a rivetted hull. The hull had been cut up by explosive charges at a level of the bilge keelson and some of the outlines of the sides are covered with dust, thus the object can be described rather as a field of metal hull remains, where it is difficult to say what was the size and shape of the vessel. Only two 3.5 m boilers are preserved. Here the highest point is at 17.4 m, and the depth near the wreck is 19.7 m. The remains lie approximately on the N-S axis. Report prepared by: dr Waldemar Ossowski, Jacek Trembowelski

Some pictures