The iron cargo steamship Capri was launched from the yard of J Bulmer and Co Ltd, Sunderland (Yard No 59) on 3rd January 1881 for R M Sloman & Co. of Hamburg. In 1897 she was sold to A. Monsen of Tonsberg and renamed Tyri. A further sale in 1912 to Adolf Bratt of Gothenburg resulted in a further name change to Arnold. She measured 231.0′ x 35.0′ x 14.7′ and her tonnage 1167 gross tons, 704 net tons. She was powered by a two-cylinder compound steam engine built by North East Marine Ltd, Sunderland delivering 131 nominal horse power.
SS Arnold under way
Lloyds register 1925
The Arnold left Belfast for Amble on the Northumberland coast on the 17th January 1925 but was never to reach her destination. Contemporary reports of her loss are brief only stating that, on the following day, she ran aground on rocks off Soa Island, Coll in foggy weather around 08:30 hrs. Although the crew managed to escape safely the ship was reported aground with forepart full of water and stern on the rocks. Within hours of going aground she broke in two and became a total wreck.
The crew landed inshore and were greeted by a local crofter who, through a Mr. Stewart the proprietor of Breachacha Castle, managed to find lodgings for the crew until they could be taken to Oban where they were cared for by the local Shipwrecked Mariners Society.
There is a large wreck of similar dimensions lying to the west of the northernmost of three rocks which are charted and break the surface a low tide to the south west of Eilean Iomallach. The authors believe that this is the Arnold although no conclusive evidence has been traced. We have no records of any other large steamship lost in this vicinity.
The wreck, in position 56° 33.843’N, 006° 39.063’W (GPS), is pointing approximately north and lies along the side of the reef in depths of 8 – 12 metres. She has clearly been subject to heavy salvage but otherwise is not often dived despite her proximity to the popular wreck of the Tapti. Many of the major structures of the ship are still visible including boilers, engine, propeller shaft with broken cast propeller still attached and stern steering gear. Her holds and some of the deck structures are also still apparent. The site is exposed to the south and east and could be subject to some tidal flow at some states of the tide.
