HMS Bounty sunk

Diver_Down

Silver Member
Dec 13, 2008
4,373
2,000
St. Augustine, FL
Yes, Captain Robin is still lost at sea. Rescue efforts are still ongoing. Below is a picture of the Bounty taken from the rescue helicopter.

SinkingofHMSBounty.jpg
 

wetfly

Full Member
Aug 8, 2012
235
163
For larger ships many times the best course of action in an impending storm is to get her underway as to save her from a certain death at the dock. That being said however, with the ample time everyone had to get prepared this does seem rather confusing as to why a not so seaworthy replica vessel would brave a large named storm so late in the game? Hopefully all the details to come will shed a little more light on just what their plan was! Either way a very sad and tragic story !!
 

TerryC

Gold Member
Jun 26, 2008
7,735
10,996
Yarnell, AZ
Detector(s) used
Ace 250 (2), Ace 300, Gold Bug 2, Tesoro Cortes, Garrett Sea Hunter, Whites TDI SL SE, Fisher Impulse 8, Minelab Monster 1000, Minelab CTX3030, Falcon MD20, Garrett Pro-pointer, Calvin Bunker digger.
Primary Interest:
Metal Detecting
I toured the Bounty and the Pride of Baltimore II when both were docked in Milwaukee, WI one day. Both the Bounty and the Pride (I) were able seacraft. Heading into the hurricane is not fun... but a reasonable choice in such circumstances. Without getting into the reasons, if the captain felt heading "in" was the best.... it must have been. TTC
 

capt dom

Hero Member
Nov 9, 2006
995
282
Jupiter, Florida USA
Some folks may consider me an opportunist but with this loss comes a unique opportunity!
Take a look at the photos attached. Bounty sunk.jpg
Bounty_Sinking.jpg
What an opportunity to video document what the actual ravage of a major storm event
has on an ancient sailing vessel! Actual salvage of her most probably is not a viable option
but the scientific documentation of the aftermath of is sad event can answer many questions
and suppositions of what follows a major sailing vessels initial sinking.

If anyone may be interested in this type of a project contact
me.

We have the right vessel for the job. She is called the "New World Explorer".

Here is a photo. IMG_20120612_140527.jpg
 

Last edited:

Jason in Enid

Gold Member
Oct 10, 2009
9,593
9,229
Primary Interest:
All Treasure Hunting
If she didn't sink in too deep of waters, a diver with an HD camera and good lighting could really shed a lot of light on a deep-water sinking affect on these ships.
 

Crow

Silver Member
Jan 28, 2005
3,325
9,293
In a tax haven some where
Detector(s) used
ONES THAT GO BEEP! :-)
Primary Interest:
Other
I agree with Salvor6 There is questions that needed to be asked?

The vessel was up for sale the past few years. No takers the owner wanted to retire. There was no need to risk the lifes of the crew for the storm of the century.

Crow
 

Tnmountains

Super Moderator
Staff member
Jan 27, 2009
18,716
11,709
South East Tennessee on Ga, Ala line
🥇 Banner finds
1
Detector(s) used
Tesoro Conquistador freq shift
Fisher F75
Garrett AT-Pro
Garet carrot
Neodymium magnets
5' Probe
Primary Interest:
All Treasure Hunting
I heard she had mech failure on her diesel engines and was at the mercy of the storm. If no engines did she loose her ability to bilge?How large were the swells?
 

ScubaFinder

Bronze Member
Jul 11, 2006
2,220
528
Tampa, FL
Detector(s) used
AquaPulse AQ1B - AquaPulse DX-200 Magnetometer
Primary Interest:
Shipwrecks
Unfortunately, she sank in about 13,000 feet of water. It will take some serious unmanned equipment to study the wreck. Luckily, the USCG goofed up and gave the exact coordinates of the sinking to anyone with the smarts to dig it out. I know I did. :-)
 

Darren in NC

Silver Member
Apr 1, 2004
2,780
1,574
Detector(s) used
Tesoro Sand Shark, Homebuilt pulse loop
Primary Interest:
Shipwrecks
Gotta love embedded GPS, eh? Check your email, bud :-)
 

ScubaFinder

Bronze Member
Jul 11, 2006
2,220
528
Tampa, FL
Detector(s) used
AquaPulse AQ1B - AquaPulse DX-200 Magnetometer
Primary Interest:
Shipwrecks
Sorry Darren, I was so busy yesterday I didn't get back to you. I'll see you tomorrow at 10. Looking forward to showing you around. :-)
 

Jason in Enid

Gold Member
Oct 10, 2009
9,593
9,229
Primary Interest:
All Treasure Hunting
Unfortunately, she sank in about 13,000 feet of water. It will take some serious unmanned equipment to study the wreck. Luckily, the USCG goofed up and gave the exact coordinates of the sinking to anyone with the smarts to dig it out. I know I did. :-)

Yep, that took me about 2 minutes to track down! Were you talking about 11:23:11Z pic?
 

Darren in NC

Silver Member
Apr 1, 2004
2,780
1,574
Detector(s) used
Tesoro Sand Shark, Homebuilt pulse loop
Primary Interest:
Shipwrecks
The dilemma with those coords is that the vessel was still afloat when the photo was taken. There's no telling how much longer she stayed adrift before completely sinking. Hatteras currents are fierce, and I assume the USCG didn't follow her until she completely sank. But even a slow descent at 13000 fsw could have her resting miles away. We know of many wrecks found far away from their reported coords.
 

ScubaFinder

Bronze Member
Jul 11, 2006
2,220
528
Tampa, FL
Detector(s) used
AquaPulse AQ1B - AquaPulse DX-200 Magnetometer
Primary Interest:
Shipwrecks
True Darren, based on the time stamps and GPS of the original pics (which all had meta data when first released), she was making approximately 4 knots while half submerged. There is a high degree of error in that statement because the coordinates give us the helicopters position that the pics were taken from, not the vessel itself. Still its safe to say she was travelling northward as she sank. Based on how long it took her to go down, she could have travelled a looong ways on her 13,000 foot decent to the sea floor. Regardless, a deep sonar would likely make quick work of finding her as long as it is done within the next year or so. I hope somebody located her and maybe send an ROV down to check on her once in a while...there would certainly be a lot to learn from that endeavor.
 

Darren in NC

Silver Member
Apr 1, 2004
2,780
1,574
Detector(s) used
Tesoro Sand Shark, Homebuilt pulse loop
Primary Interest:
Shipwrecks
I totally agree, Jas. I do hope she is surveyed and found soon. It's safe to say she was moving NE due to the Gulf Stream current bending around the cape. It's also safe to say that she likely went further east as the Labrador Current collides with the Gulf Stream there and forces objects further out than inward. I have researched quite a few lifeboat drifts from WW2 and they're always pushed out that direction when wrecked in the same general area. No exceptions thus far.
 

capt dom

Hero Member
Nov 9, 2006
995
282
Jupiter, Florida USA
The dilemma with those coords is that the vessel was still afloat when the photo was taken. There's no telling how much longer she stayed adrift before completely sinking. Hatteras currents are fierce, and I assume the USCG didn't follow her until she completely sank. But even a slow descent at 13000 fsw could have her resting miles away. We know of many wrecks found far away from their reported coords.

HERE, here.... all of this data adds to the body of knowledge of what happens to these types of sinking vessels, be it in the 17th century or today....!
 

TerryC

Gold Member
Jun 26, 2008
7,735
10,996
Yarnell, AZ
Detector(s) used
Ace 250 (2), Ace 300, Gold Bug 2, Tesoro Cortes, Garrett Sea Hunter, Whites TDI SL SE, Fisher Impulse 8, Minelab Monster 1000, Minelab CTX3030, Falcon MD20, Garrett Pro-pointer, Calvin Bunker digger.
Primary Interest:
Metal Detecting
I heard she had mech failure on her diesel engines and was at the mercy of the storm. If no engines did she loose her ability to bilge?How large were the swells?
The bilges probably were on a system that included a generator unit in case of main engine failure. If the main engines failed, the vessel cannot hold the bow into the wind, which means it is in danger of going broadside to the wind and broaching..... very probable as the waves indicate it is in a broadside attitude. Also, Once the owner files his insurrance claim, the vessel becomes the property of the insurrance company. Ins company would ok any salvage. Hmmm, did the owner deliberately.... no, I won't go there. Anyway, the sailing community has suffured a great loss. TTC
 

LM

Hero Member
Dec 11, 2007
665
181
South
Detector(s) used
Charts and Maps.
Primary Interest:
Shipwrecks
the seaworthiness of the vessel

I'm no expert on this sort of thing but I too visited the ship when it was here in town and intuitively speaking, it struck me more as a giant Hollywood prop than a craft built to endure a real life hurricane in violent seas.

Thoughts for the families of those who didn't make it. That gal sure was pretty.
 

Top Member Reactions

Users who are viewing this thread

Top