FATHOM II collision, October 16, 1972

[barney]

Is anyone here familiar with the treasure hunting vessel FATHOM II? It apparently was sunk in a collision on October 16, 1972, approximately 1 mile east of the St. Johns River mouth.
I saw an article that stated Fathom Expeditions had abandoned interest in the vessel, and was wondering if the wreck was salvaged or removed (U.S. Army Corps of Engineers)?

 

[mad4wrecks]

Mike, I searched my files and I have nothing on Fathom Expeditions. There is a website at:
http://www.fathomexpeditions.com, but they do Polar cruises. I'll keep looking.

How did the diving go today?

Tom

 

[barney]

Thanks. Newspaper articles said the FATHOM II was a converted minesweeper that was cut in half. Just wondering if the wreck was removed, demolished, or something. There is a wreck of a hull almost in the channel a few miles out that maybe is related to this event? Just trying to connect the dots...

Diving was pretty good - snuck in a dive on a wreck called the Tramp Steamer (also known as the 10 Fathom Wreck) over here off St. Petersburg. Trying to identify this wreck, so I took some measurements to help with cultivating a list of potential suspects. It looks like it was a small steamer, approximately 150 feet long (155 LOA via the tape), that was salvaged or demolished after sinking. Engine, no boilers. Prop is significantly damaged with one blade cut and another blade completely gone. A diver from another boat had found a porthole, glass intact, so we helped him recover that as he was having a hard time with it (was told he had been unsuccessfully working on it for a couple years). Got some nice pics in decent vis. Scampered home when the wind cranked up a notch...

 

[allen_idaho]

I can't find any information about the wreck being moved or demolished. Here is what I did find:

The Fathom II was 125' long, 230 gross tons. The ship was originally a wooden hulled mine sweeper that was decommissioned from service. It was purchased in 1971 by Fathom Expeditions, Inc., and registered as a Research Vessel. It was then taken to Nicaragua on an unsuccessful treasure hunt.

The 21 investors in that expedition sued for breach of contract and got some of their money back.

In 1972, the ship returned to Jacksonville, Florida and was refit for another expedition. While at anchorage, the vessel was cut in half by a Greek oil tanker, the "M/V Gavrion". The Gavrion is 579' long and was relatively undamaged by the collision.

Here is the collision information from the official court documents:

Shortly before six on the morning of October 16, 1972, the Fathom weighed anchor at the anchorage grounds near the St. Johns River at Jacksonville, Florida, and proceeded to follow the pilot boat toward buoy No. 4. She proceeded on a southerly course toward that buoy at about seven knots and about one hundred yards behind the pilot boat until the buoy was in sight. The Captain of the Fathom, Douglas Batchelder, was on the wing of the bridge; the Chief Mate, John Bush, was steering the vessel. No lookout had been posted. When the Fathom had nearly gotten to the buoy, the pilot boat turned around and headed back; Batchelder went down from the pilot house to a position on the starboard side of the deckhouse; at about that time Bush saw the Gavrion on his port side. At this point the Gavrion was no more than 150 yards away; Bush put on emergency speed and came hard right. The bow of the Gavrion collided with the port side of the Fathom about fifty feet from the stern. The Fathom was cut in two, the stern section sinking first. Immediately after the collision the pilot boat pulled along side the bow section, on which the seamen had gathered. They were brought aboard the pilot boat and then taken ashore.

I also found mention to some personal effects being salvaged from the wreck but beyond that there was nothing.

 

[mad4wrecks]

That is some good research Allen. Well done.

 

[barney]

Thanks Allen. That's pretty much what I dug up, as well as a subsequent mention of the owners stating to the USCG they were abandoning interest in the vessel. I am not sure if they (either FATHOM or the GAVRION shipping company) were forced to remove the vessel, or if it was done by USCG or COE anyway. If it was in the channel and a navigational hazard I suspect so. But the article was a couple months after the incident, so perhaps it was off to the side, or near the anchorage area where they departed from. In any case, thanks for the info.
Cheers,
Mike

 

[FISHEYE]

If the wreck is still there,then it will still be on the NOAA charts.If not then look it up on the USCG site in the whois section for wrecks.It will say if the wreck was demolished and give the cords as well.Being it was a wood ship a few charges from the navy seals would have turned it into kindling wood real quick.If its not a navigational hazard they take it off the charts.But sometimes leave them on if in shallow water or near shore.