Elida

The wooden barque Elida was built in America in 1839. She measured 125.6′ x 29.2′ x 20.6′ her tonnage was 537 net tons. Owned by Mr E T Nielsen, Ansgaardstrand, Norway she was registered in the Baltic port of Horten south of Christiana. She stranded north of Clauchlands Point, Arran on 10th December, 1890 in thick fog. She had departed from Glasgow two days earlier bound for Tonsberg in Norway, under the command of her master, Mr. A. Bugge, with a crew of eleven.

Details of how the stranding occurred are somewhat vague. Contemporary sources give conflicting accounts of exactly where she went ashore, some noting Lamlash Bay, while others mention Hamilton Rock which lies near Clauchlands Point. Initial research was further complicated by the coincidental loss of another Norwegian barque called Ellida on 12th December near Port Ellen, Islay. The reports on the Islay wreck were in some cases published before those of the Arran wreck. A further complication is that there were 12 other Norwegian vessels named Elida in service in 1890 and ten vessels named Ellida although only one of those was Norwegian.

The wreck, which lies 250 yards north of Clauchlands Point in approximate position 55° 33.416’N, 005° 05.150’W, has long been known as the Elida although, to the authors’ knowledge, nothing has been recovered from the wreck that absolutely confirms its identification. The wreck lies close inshore off a narrow rocky shoreline which is backed by featureless cliffs some 50 metres high. Unfortunately the nature of the shoreline gives few conspicuous marks to aid location of the wreck. The only shore level landmark nearby is a prominent square column of rock about 1.5 metres high which lies just north of the wreck. The diver should enter the water here and swim south along the base of the boulder slope in 12 metres. The wreck lies approximately 30 metres south on the sand slope between 12 and 18 metres.

All that remains of the wreck above the seabed are parts of her main frames, deck beams, hull and ballast stones.