



Le Gauss is also known as Sperrbrecher 178, SP 178.

Le Gauss

TSS Train Ferry No. 3 was a freight vessel built for the British Army War Office in 1917.

The ship was built by Fairfield Govan and launched on 12 September 1917. Along with her sister ships SS Train Ferry No. 1 and SS Train Ferry No. 2, they were the first vessels to offer regular transport between Britain and continental Europe for rail freight vehicles. They were ordered by the British Army to provide rail freight transport from Richborough harbour to the continent to sustain the war effort. They had four sets of rails along the train deck and used a link span to load when in harbour.

On 1 February 1919 she was involved in the rescue of British and American soldiers from the American transport Narrangansett which had gone ashore on Bembridge Point, Isle of Wight.

After their use by the British Army ended in 1922, they were purchased by the Great Eastern Railway

The Great Eastern Railway was taken over by the London and North Eastern Railway company in 1923 with its interest in the Great Eastern Train Ferry Company. The new service was inaugurated on 24 April 1924 by Prince George, Duke of Kent.

In 1934, the Great Eastern Train Ferry Company was liquidated and she was bought by the London and North Eastern Railway.

In 1940 she was requisitioned by the Royal Navy and renamed HMS Daffodil. In 1941 was converted to a Landing Craft carrier. She was sunk on 18 March 1945 off Dieppe, Seine Maritime, France. source: Wikipedia.

Northwest of Dieppe harbor. The wreck is marked by a buoy.

HMS Daffodil is also known as SS Train Ferry No. 3.

HMS Daffodil

This is the wreck of the P+O liner built in 1888.  ALthough currents a minor, watch for tidal effects



Oceana is also known as The O.

Oceana

The dive is in a closed pond, but is made of sea water, so its populated with its own very specific life.



Bassin du Commerce

Wreck of armed merchantman. She was 3753 tons and was carrying wheat before being torpedoed on 3 may 1917. She was 243ft long and had a beam of 47ft. 

The hull is relatively intact considering the age. She is broken in the middle, but the bow and stern can be seen. Stern has a large propeller. Sea bed is around 30m with wreck proud,stern is highest point at 24m. 

Nice wreck with good fish life.

Wreck is dived from a boat and lies off Newhaven.

Clodmoor

A UB Type III boat built by Blomm & Voss, Hamburg.  This is a WW1 Coastal attack sub commissioned in 1917 and sunk by a mine on 19th April 1918 losing all hands from a crew of 35.

She now lies upright and intact on a sandy seabed at 28m she has a list of about 40 degrees to port, but the conning tower, gun and bow are all intact and the blown off stern is close by. There are torpedoes in her bow tubes, the outer hull is now breaking down to reveal the inner pressure hull she is still very intact and easily recognisable.

This makes a fantastic night dive as all the brass shows up and both lobster and edible crab are plentiful.

By boat from Dover marina or Folkestone.

UB-78



Good access with beach car park or boat launch from Newhaven marina.

Newhaven West Arm

British Navy Destroyer 'B'-class destroyer built in 1928 by Palmer & Co; and entered service in 1931. Brazen measured 323ft x 32ft with a 34,000 hp steam turbines giving a top speed of 35 knots; she was armed with four 4.7" and 2 anti-aircraft guns, eight 21" torpedo tubes and depth chargers. 

The destroyer Brazen was escorting convoy CW7 in the North Sea when she was attacked by German bombers on July 21st, 1940 as they traveled through the straits of Dover. She shot down three aircraft before she was hit and badly damaged. An attempt was made to tow her but this proved impossible and she was abandoned and sank some hours after the attack. The Brazen was commanded by Lt. Cdr. Sir Michael Culme-Seymour and carried a complement of 138, of whom one stoker petty-officer died of wounds (after he was taken off the ship) and four stokers were wounded. 

Diving: Until a few years ago she was standing 8m proud and reasonably intact but in two halves, about 100m apart, the seabed is sand and gravel. Recently she has become buried in the sand and less of the wreck can be seen, however, torpedo tubes, depth chargers and the guns are still present and together with the excellent visibility it's still worth a visit.


From Dover

HMS Brazen is also known as H80.

HMS Brazen

The wreck is inverted and slightly twisted with her Port side largely on the seabed, the wreck is very clean of silt and although covered in fishing lines and lost hooks and lures is really hazard free as these are easy to avoid.

A maximum depth of 32m, however most of the length the max is only 29-30m with the hull rising up to 22m, the interesting side is the Starboard side which is generally clear of the seabed.

The engine room and stern area are very open and easy to look into and there is a companionway running just inside the starboard side from the break which is roughly amidships.

The stern is quite broken up but the bows are intact and there are plenty of Guns and other fittings to see,

By boat.  Wreck is located approx 8 miles WNW of Calais.

Permission is required to dive this wreck from the French authorities.  However if you contact Canterbury Divers (www.canterburydivers.org.uk) we are happy to pass on the contact details and information requirements. 

You will also be required to book in with Cape Griz Nez when on site diving in accordance with SOLAS5.

Must be dived in slack water only.

HMS Hermes

The Loanda was a 2702-ton, 253hp triple-expansion engines steamer, measuring 328ft x 39ft, built in 1891. The ship was travelling from Hamburg to West Africa, for the Elder Dempster Line, when she collided with the Russian steamer Junona.

The cargo was hundreds of cases of gin, rum, champagne and barrels of gunpowder. She was badly damaged on port side near engine room, an attempt was made to save her but she sank under tow on the 31 May, 1908.

Diving: Upright and 5m proud at a depth of 17-23m, the top is generally at 18m and if you drop into the holds you will be at 20m or so. Slack can be early so get to the site in plenty of time, must be dived on slack tide. Sweeping and collision damage have exposed the engines. The bell has been recovered. Bottles everywhere, mainly gin and champagne but contents undrinkable. Lots of clay pipes/perfume bottles and trading beads. Prop intact. Tales of thousands of newly minted shillings being carried by the Loanda are not borne out by the manifest.

Lots of Lobsters, Edible Crab and Conger's.

Information from Canterbury Divers website which is extremely informative for wrecks in and around the Dover area.



Loanda Wreck

Wreck of 2266 ton British steamer laden with oranges and lemons. Sank after colliding with German cross-atlantic steamer Washington in fog on 1 March 1901. Nice shallow wreck, wreckage is spreadout, but fish life is pretty good for UK.



Le Gauss

Snorkeling and Scuba Diving at Le Gauss