Name SS Arratoon Apcar Port of registry London Out of service 17 February 1878 Weight 1,504 tons Beam 11 m Completed 1861 | Owner H.F. Swan Company Yard number Renfrew, Scotland Length 80 m Displacement 1.343 million kg Phone +1 305-230-1144 | |
Builder James Henderson and Son Address Biscayne National Park, Florida, USA Similar Fowey Rocks Light, Elliott Key, Boca Chita Key, Stiltsville, Key Biscayne | ||
SS Arratoon Apcar was an iron-hulled steamship built in 1861 for the Apcar Line. She ran ashore on Fowey Rocks off the coast of Florida on 20 February 1878, and later sank. Today the wreck is a good location for scuba diving.
Contents
Construction and service
SS Arratoon Apcar was built in Renfrew, Scotland by James Henderson and Son. The ship was powered by a 250 hp steam engine, with an iron hull. She was 261.7 feet (79.8 m) long, 35.2 feet (10.7 m) wide and had a displacement of 1,480 tons. She was launched on 27 June 1861. She was named after the founder of Apcar and Company of Bombay, India, for whom she was built. In 1872 the Apcar family purchased a considerably larger ship that they also called Arratoon Apcar, selling the older ship to H.F. Swan Company.
Wreck
SS Arratoon Apcar was en route from Havana, Cuba to Liverpool, England when she ran aground on 17 February 1878 on Fowey Rocks, due to a miscalculation by Captain Pottinger. The reef had already claimed other ships, including HMS Fowey in 1748, after which it was named. Several workmen were camped on a platform on the new screw pilings of the Fowey Light that they were building on the rocks. They were almost hit by the ship, which was stopped by the rocks only 200 yards (180 m) away.
The crew of the ship spent three days trying to pump her out before abandoning her and heading for the shore in their lifeboats. The captain and his complete crew of 24 men were picked up by the Tappahannock. Foul weather pushed the ship onto the reef, pounding her on the rocks. The ship broke up and was a total loss by 12 March 1878.
Mistaken identity
The wreck now tentatively identified as the Arratoon Apcar was known for many years as the Arakanapka, and is so called in books and on various dive-related web sites.
Today
The wreck now lies in 10 to 20 feet (3.0 to 6.1 m) of water near the Fowey Rocks. The lower hull and irons beams of the ship are still visible, encrusted with coral, and there are some remains of other parts of the ship. There are many fish, and with shallow water the location provides an excellent site for snorkeling or diving. However, the shallow waters near the reef may create strong surges that could damage a boat. The Arratoon Apcar is one of five historic wrecks in the Biscayne National Park "Shipwreck Trail".