At North Rock

WB Smith Tug, located at 32.4747 N, -64.7688 W and the Crystal Catfish, located at 32.4757 N, -64.7694 W.

WB Smith Tug, located at 32.4747 N, -64.7688 W and the Crystal Catfish, located at 32.4757 N, -64.7694 W.

This is the remains of a World War 1 era steam tug belonging to WB Smith that sank when servicing the old  tower when the wind swung around and smashed her on the breaker. The crew sat on North Rock for a couple of days until people ashore realized they had not returned and sent out a rescue party. 

In and above the sand one can see metal parts of the vessel along with what appears to be some sheathing and iron struts along with a myriad of metal fitting pipes etc. There are some small pieces of timber in evidence but as one would expect from such a dynamic area there is very little timber to be found. There is a small hand water pump in the sand hole.

On the northern side of the Beacon is the lead ballast from the Crystal Catfish.

The North Rock site is buoyed under the Bermuda Dive Sites program established by the Marine Environmental Committee of the Bermuda National Trust in association with the Ministry of the Environment and is a protected site with a 1km no fishing limitation.

It is a very popular dive site, snorkelling site and is used by marine scientists as a control site for a wide range of studies. 

Watch the fascinating film "The Riddle of the Crest" and learn another shipwreck story that North Rock may have played a major role in.