Propeller Steamship Belem Shipwreck

by Richard Brookes

Title

Propeller Steamship Belem Shipwreck

Artist

Richard Brookes

Medium

Photograph

Description

A very low tide at Sandymouth beach North Cornwall near Northcott Mouth, north of Bude, Cornwall, England, UK. Amazingly today (20 Mar 2015) the propeller has been exposed from the wreck of the 1,925 ton Portuguese steamship "Belem" (formerly the German SS Rhodos). Ship became stranded in thick fog at Northcott Mouth, Bude, on 20th November 1917 while on passage from Gibraltar to Barry with ballast. The crew of 33 including two Royal Navy gunners (she was armed with a light gun aft), were brought ashore by rocket apparatus. She soon broke her back and was deemed a constructive total loss, being later broken up for scrap. The remains are not always visible except on occasion when heavy seas scoop away the covering sand, In the 1980's(?) a team of local enthusiasts recovered part of her propeller shaft which was donated to Bude Museum. Also understand that another part of the shaft was used to perch the barrel on Barrel Rock at the end of Bude Sea Breakwater.

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March 20th, 2015

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