Viewing: Maritime History
September 19, 2017
More About the Normanville Communication Cable
Further to my article “The 1875 Communication Cable from Normanville to Kangaroo Island”, whether the cable was installed in during the 1860s or the 1870s, has been a niggling doubt for the author. The few historical records I’d come across seemed to vary a bit as to key dates with regards to the draft project’s definitive government funding approval date, works commencement and completion dates,... Read morePosted in intertidal zone, Jetties, Maritime History | By David Muirhead
September 13, 2017
The 1875 Communication Cable from Normanville to Kangaroo Island
In December 1875, a submarine communication cable ran from Normanville to Kingscote on Kangaroo Island. Society member and local resident, David Muirhead sent us the following details and photographs concerning the cable: – The spot where the communication cable to Kangaroo Island ran into the sea at Normanville (Taken by David Muirhead) The jigsaw-shaped bit of wet sand at the... Read morePosted in intertidal zone, Jetties, Maritime History | By Steve Reynolds
September 3, 2017
Artefacts from Argosy Lemal at Port River Sailing Club
As I stated in my article titled “Follow-up on the Schooners Lemael & Booya” at http://mlssa.org.au/2016/09/09/follow-up-on-the-schooners-lemael-booya/ , “I had previously written a series of articles regarding a number of sailing ships, but two in particular – the Booya and the Lemael. The series started with “Cyclone Tracy Shipwrecks” in our April 2005 newsletter (No.320). This was followed by “More About... Read morePosted in Maritime History, Shipwrecks | By Steve Reynolds
July 6, 2017
Port Noarlunga Anchor’s Anniversary
The ‘big’ anchor at Port Noarlunga reef has been there as long as I have known, but only just. It was apparently placed in position at the reef just under two weeks before I did my first dive there. It was years before I got to see it though. It was Sunday 22nd January 1978 when divers moved the anchor... Read morePosted in Dive Reports, Maritime History | By Steve Reynolds
May 10, 2017
Normanville Jetty and Hotspot
David Muirhead says that the Normanville jetty is “a pretty poor excuse for a jetty”. “I have, however, found some surprisingly good photographic subjects on the piles at high tide, which is all the more titillating given the entire jetty can be above the water mark,” he says. (The present jetty is the second Normanville jetty. The first one was... Read morePosted in Bony fishes, Dive Reports, Jetties, Maritime History, Syngnathids | By Steve Reynolds
May 3, 2017
The Rescue of Australian Prisoners of War following US attack on Japanese ships during WWII
In 1944, hundreds of Australian and British prisoners of war (PoW) held by the Japanese were briefly held at the River Valley Road Camp in Singapore. They were then going to be sent to Japan to work in coalmines there. A convoy of eight vessels with PoW onboard left Singapore on 6th September 1944. The vessels in the convoy comprised... Read morePosted in Maritime History | By Steve Reynolds
April 30, 2017
South Australians onboard the final voyage of the Titanic
I had a bit of a surprise when I visited the cemetery at the Aldinga Uniting Church recently. I had gone there to photograph the Star of Greece memorial there. Star of Greece memorial (Taken by Steve Reynolds) I found a couple of graves in the name of McRae near the memorial. What caught my eye was a headstone for... Read morePosted in Maritime History | By Steve Reynolds
April 13, 2017
Update on the wreck of the AV Ulonga
This photo of the AV Ulonga at the North Parade Wharf in Port Adelaide was posted on the Facebook page for The South Australian Ketch Fleet recently: – The Ulonga at Port Adelaide circa early 1960s (Source: https://www.facebook.com/234583500036716/photos/a.237879926373740.1073741831.234583500036716/775086302653097/?type=3&theater ) It came with these details: – “Three mast auxiliary schooner “Ulonga”, at North Parade Wharf, Port Adelaide, sometime in the very... Read morePosted in Maritime History, Shipwrecks | By Steve Reynolds
February 28, 2017
“My Wheels” At Second Valley
I love to see “my wheels” when I dive at Second Valley jetty. It’s great when I come across them during my dives there. I’m talking about large cartwheels and ‘truck sets’ that are in the bay between the jetty and ‘boat shed island’. I described these wheels in my articles titled “The Existence of an ‘Underwater Trail’ at Second... Read morePosted in Dive Reports, Jetties, Maritime History | By Steve Reynolds
December 8, 2016
The unveiling of Reg Sprigg’s dive chamber at the Patawalonga, Glenelg North, SA
A long list of lucky events led to me attending the recent unveiling of Reg Sprigg’s dive chamber at Glenelg North (with my wife Noeleen). The dive chamber has been positioned adjacent to the Buffalo replica on the banks of the Patawalonga. Our Patron, Scoresby Shepherd had suggested that I try to get approval to attend the official unveiling. An... Read morePosted in Equipment, Events, Maritime History | By Steve Reynolds