Dive Rating : Open Water (Experienced)
Boat Dive
Launch site : The wreck can be approached from Portsea or from Queenscliff. To the south of the site is an area of shallow reef.
Lat : 38 18.140 S
Long : 144 39.300 E
Dive Conditions: The site can be subject to strong tidal flow and divers should consult a tide book for Port Phillip Bay before diving. As the wreck site is large and spread out, a good way of exploring the wreck is on a drift dive. However, care must be taken because of the site’s proximity to the heads.
Description :A magnificent three masted square-rigged wooden clipper, Built in Boston, USA.
He Empress of the Sea was a magnificent wooden clipper built by prominent American ship builder Donald McKay in 1853. McKay was a leader in North American clipper design and intended to keep the Empress of the Sea for his own use. Initially, the vessel sailed between America and the rich trading ports of the world. In 1858 it was sold to flamboyant and powerful ship owner James Baines. It then became part of the Black Ball Line, a shipping company which brought immigrants and cargo from Britain to Australia.
In December 1861, the Empress of the Sea was moored at Portsea and about to begin its journey to Britain when it perished in a fire. The wreck was rediscovered in 1984 lying in shallow water in Nepean Bay. Some features of the old clipper are still visible, however the remains are scattered.
The remains of the 130-year-old wreck of the Empress of
the Sea are very fragile. Despite the nature of the site with its large
timbers, massive tanks, chains and anchors, the wreck can be easily
damaged, particularly by boats dropping anchor directly over the wreck and
divers carelessly pulling at timber and relics.
The Empress of the sea lies in five to seven meters of water, 700 meters offshore from Nepean Bay, Port Phillip. The site covers an area 150 meters long and 50 meters wide. The bow lies towards the southwest.
Two large mounds of blue stone ballast rock (rounded river rock) lie to the north and south of the site. Protruding from these mounds are paired hull frames, remains of outer hull planking and the protective copper sheathing of the ship’s hull.
Near the middle of the site, divers can see three large rectangular iron tanks and the ship’s keel. Approximately thirty-five meters forward of the tank divers can see a large chain mound, another iron tank and an anchor marking the bow of the ship. There are also a few iron buckets at the bow.
An information plinth put on site by the Maritime Archaeology Unit can be found on the starboard side of the wreck adjacent to the three water tanks.
The Empress of the Sea was built in Boston, Massachusetts
of white oak and pitch pine sheathed in copper. It had three decks and its
wooden masts were all square rigged. A feature of the Empress of the Sea
was a female figurehead in white and gold which formed a beautiful ornament
on the bow.
The ship’s saloon accommodation was luxurious. It was finished in mahogany, and decorated with comfortable sofas and gold edged mirrors.
The ship was very large and measured 240ft(72.7m) in length, 43ft(13m) in width and 27ft(8.1m) deep and had a gross tonnage of 2200tons.
Despite its vast size, the Empress of the Sea was said to look as beautiful and graceful as a yacht. It was certainly one of the best fitted merchant ships in the world with strong spars, perfect style of rigs and sails finished without regard to cost.
In August 1861, the Empress of the sea berthed in Melbourne after an exceptionally fast voyage of 66 days from Liverpool. The vessel never again left Australian Waters.
Some of the crew deserted the ship to seek their fortunes on the goldfields and new crew had to be found. The gold rush also lured farm labourers and city workers, creating a shortage in the labour market and a downturn in export trade. So it was many months before the Empress of the Sea had sufficient cargo and crew to return to England.
On 18th December, 1861 under the command of Captain J (bully) Bragg, Empress of the Sea, finally left Hobson Bay with 12 passengers and 45 crew, some of whom had little or no seafaring experience. The ship was also carrying a very valuable cargo - £80,000 worth of gold, 2711 bales of wool, 100 casks of whale oil, whale bone, bags of leather and woollens, wheat, flour and 180 tons of copper ore.
Late that evening, the vessel arrived at Queenscliff where Captain Bragg and his first officer went ashore to find more crew. While they were away, a fire broke out in the forward hold and quickly spread through the ship.
A Port Phillip Pilot, Mr Kennedy who was on board the Empress of the Sea, and another passenger, took command and ordered the crew to run the ships pumps to send water down to the hold. Unfortunately the pump handles could not be found and the crew had to resort to passing buckets of water by hand.
The fire was soon out of control. The Pilot decided to beach the ship at Point Nepean in order to save cargo and hull. He steered the vessel forward to shore where it grounded in shallow water. Lifeboats were lowered and the passengers and most of the crew rowed towards Queenscliff. Another boat with five crew and the gold could be seen disappearing towards the heads. A Pilot boat managed to apprehend the crew and their "loot" and direct them towards Queenscliff.
A court of inquiry held shortly after the wrecking found that the fire was a deliberate act of arson. Goldman, the German quartermaster was the chief suspect. He had previously been convicted for murder but his sentence was reprieved on the gallows scaffold. In spite of suspicions circulating in the press, there was insufficient evidence to convict him.
In late December, the hull and the remaining cargo of the Empress of the Sea were sold at auction for £3,750.