The Captayannis was a Greek

Greece

Greece , officially the Hellenic Republic , and historically Hellas or the Republic of Greece in English, is a country in southeastern Europe....

 sugar-carrying vessel that sank in the River Clyde

River Clyde

The River Clyde is a major river in Scotland. It is the ninth longest river in the United Kingdom, and the third longest in Scotland. Flowing through the major city of Glasgow, it was an important river for shipbuilding and trade in the British Empire....

, Scotland

Scotland

Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...

 in 1974.

Shipwreck

On the evening of 27 January 1974, a storm blew the vessel from its anchor while she was waiting at the Tail of the Bank

Tail of the Bank

The Tail of the Bank is the name given to the anchorage in the upper Firth of Clyde immediately north of Greenock and Gourock. This area of the firth gets its name from the sandbar immediately to its east which marks the entrance to the estuary of the River Clyde.The Tail of the Bank was a...

 to deliver sugar to the James Watt Dock in Greenock

Greenock

Greenock is a town and administrative centre in the Inverclyde council area in United Kingdom, and a former burgh within the historic county of Renfrewshire, located in the west central Lowlands of Scotland...

. She collided with the BP

BP

BP p.l.c. is a global oil and gas company headquartered in London, United Kingdom. It is the third-largest energy company and fourth-largest company in the world measured by revenues and one of the six oil and gas "supermajors"...

 tanker

Tanker (ship)

A tanker is a ship designed to transport liquids in bulk. Major types of tankship include the oil tanker, the chemical tanker, and the liquefied natural gas carrier.-Background:...

 British Light. The tanker suffered no damage but her anchor chains holed the sugar boat allowing water to pour in.

Captayannis captain tried to make for the sheltered waters of the Gareloch. Realising that water was flowing in so fast that she was in imminent danger of sinking, he opted to beach her in the shallow waters over the sandbank and steered to the desired spot where she stuck fast. The pilot boats, the tug Labrador and Clyde Marine Motoring's Rover came to assist. The vessel heeled over so far that it was possible for the crew to jump onto the deck of the diminutive passenger vessel. 25 of the crew were taken ashore, but the Captain and four crewmen waited on the Labrador, standing off the stricken vessel. The ship finally succumbed the next morning, rolling onto her side. She has lain there ever since. Most, if not all of her more valuable metals and fittings have been removed by looters, leaving little of the split-style superstructure.

Today

Through time Captayannis has become 'home' to marine life and birds. She has never been removed as confusion surrounds the identity of her owners and insurers - no-one accepts responsibility for her removal. Plans to have her blown up were shelved as there were fears about damage to nearby bird sanctuary, Ardmore Point.

The wreck is a familiar site around the Tail of the Bank. She can be seen on satellite images.

Wreck

• Area: Sand bank between Greenock and Helensburgh
• Location: River Clyde Scotland UK
• Position: 55°58′34"N 4°44′31"W
• Max. Depth: 9.00
• Year Sank: 1974
• How Sank: Hit anchor chain of another ship.
• Condition: Substantially intact

External links

• Photo of Captayannis wreck, May 2007