Kingston BSAC lift 500+ kilo find!

During the August Bank Holiday weekend in 1969, Kingston BSAC divers located and lifted 324ft (99m) of bronze anchor chain weighing 1,000 lbs (454kg) and an anchor made of manganese steel weighing 200 lbs (91kg) from a depth of 90ft (27.5m) from around the Eddystone lighthouse.

The Eddystone Lighthouse

There was a certain amount of speculation and disbelief as nobody had heard of bronze anchor chain before. So it was therefore believed to be quite old.

Imagine the surprise when stamped on one of the links was a broad arrow, and the date – 12.67!

The mystery was eventually solved when the navy confirmed that the chain and anchor had been lost from a wooden minesweeper.

The cost of the anchor and chain at the time was in the region of ｣2,000.

The chain and anchor were returned to the navy.

The club members involved in this were Julian Bamford, Peter Ollerenshaw, Doug Ramsey, Ann Raybould, John Jackson, Roger Dixon, John Mercer, Len Catermull and George Doswell (Diving Officer).

Did the divers recieve a salvage award?

How did they lift it?

One comment on “Kingston BSAC lift 500+ kilo find!
  1. Mike Ford says:

    How was the chain and anchor around the Eddystone lighthouse lifted? That’s easy, the divers involved set up a ‘chain reaction’ whilst humming to the tune of anchors away!