Friday 24th June

HMS Boxer

Trojan again and with a mad rush to get through horrendous traffic and constant phone calls, "is it or isnt it", i'm amazed to actually get on the boat for our departure time of 1800.

Dispite the thunderstorms and downpours, it has all cleared up and as Pete starts to gun the engines, as we leave the harbour mouth, it looks calm and flat.

Dive this evening is HMS Boxer (20m). Called a destroyer but is actually a torpedo destroyer, so not anywhere near as big as what you might think.

Got about 45 mins to go, as we pass by the assembled fleet getting ready for the review. HMS llustrious is on the left.

Ok on this one we have Fleur & Tim, Lucy, Roger & myself as a three (Tim2 couldnt make it). Last in and down the shot which had been dragged a bit. Got sorted and started to scuttle around the three remaining boilers. Lucy was getting all excited over the pretty large fish on the wreck as we skirted round he edge towards the bow. Not a large ship, but relativly intact so went slowly along one side then around the other towards the stern. More wreckage and congers, fish crabs etc. good viz of about 8m and all too soon the tide starts to run a bit.

Up with the blob to come off the deck about 2m and do a slow drift down the centerline. Just gone past by two ship lengths and see what looks like scaffolding sticking up. Quick reel down and it turns out to be one of the deckguns.

You can just make out three guns on this picture of Ardent class HMS Daring

Looks like this wreck needs a search around the debris field next time.

Good dive. Max 20m - Dive time 38 mins.

Lucy & Fleur - Apre Dive

HMS BOXER

Sunk 8th February 1918 in the English Channel, off Sandown, Isle of Wight (50-38’N, 01-06’W) - collision with steamship "St Patrick". "Boxer" (Lt Cdr J K Chaplin) collided with ambulance transport ship "St Patrick" at 07.00hrs approximately 1.5 miles SE of Dunnose Point. She attempted to reach the shallows in Sandown Bay, but sank 2.5 miles offshore.

The wreck is well broken with a fair ammount of wreckage to be explored. A British torpedo destroyer, all that is recognizable is the three large boilers which stand 3 metres proud of the seabed in a row. The wreckage provides home to crab, lobsters, bib and the occasional conger.

200 x 19ft x 260 tons – 20m

Roger & Tim

Tichfield Abbey SAA

Fleur

End to a really pleasant evening dive