Beagle's lost anchors located?
In 1839 HMS Beagle was once again in Australia: while at anchor in Holdfast Reach, commander John Lort-Stokes found that the anchor was actually stuck fast. Rising wind and waves threatened to swamp Beagle, so commander John Lort-Stokes made the decision to cut the anchors free. This incident was recorded in Beagle's log and mentioned in Marsdern Hordern's book Mariners Are Warned:
"Extract from Beagle's log. Saturday 30th November 1839 4.30 a.m. Hove in to 30 fathoms small bower (anchor) .Finding it impossible to heave in any more.Slipt at the third shackle. Lost in consequence Anchors 9 cwt 25lb one in no. Chain cables 1,1/8" inch 37 1/2 fms. Anchor shackles 1.Joining shackles 2. Iron nun buoys one in no. small chain 3 fms. Rope cables 31/2 inches 15 fms."
In 1994 a survey found three magnetic anomalies in the mud at the approximate location, and now The Beagle Project has been contacted by John Canaris, who is proposing to mount an expedition to recover the anchors and put them on display and part of a wider exhibit about Darwin and HMS Beagle. The Beagle Project is planning to visit Australia as part of the restaging of the 1831-36 voyage, and would like to be able visit the Reach. Maybe the original bower anchor could one day be photographed alongside the Beagle replica.
"Extract from Beagle's log. Saturday 30th November 1839 4.30 a.m. Hove in to 30 fathoms small bower (anchor) .Finding it impossible to heave in any more.Slipt at the third shackle. Lost in consequence Anchors 9 cwt 25lb one in no. Chain cables 1,1/8" inch 37 1/2 fms. Anchor shackles 1.Joining shackles 2. Iron nun buoys one in no. small chain 3 fms. Rope cables 31/2 inches 15 fms."
In 1994 a survey found three magnetic anomalies in the mud at the approximate location, and now The Beagle Project has been contacted by John Canaris, who is proposing to mount an expedition to recover the anchors and put them on display and part of a wider exhibit about Darwin and HMS Beagle. The Beagle Project is planning to visit Australia as part of the restaging of the 1831-36 voyage, and would like to be able visit the Reach. Maybe the original bower anchor could one day be photographed alongside the Beagle replica.
2 Comments:
I hope that HMS Beagle replica shall visit us in Chile, especially Cape Horn (www.municipalidadcabodehornos.cl, www.caphorniers.cl), Wulaia Bay, Magellan Strait and Valparaiso.
It would really great rending a homage to Darwin's Bicentenary in Wulaia.
All the best wishes to The Beagle Project Pembrokeshire,
Jorge F. Mery
Santiago de Chile
I hope that HMS Beagle replica shall visit us in Chile, especially Cape Horn (www.municipalidadcabodehornos.cl, www.caphorniers.cl), Wulaia Bay, Magellan Strait and Valparaiso.
It would really great rending a homage to Darwin's Bicentenary in Wulaia.
All the best wishes to The Beagle Project Pembrokeshire,
Jorge F. Mery
Santiago de Chile
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