Udea

First registered at Llanelly on 3rd December 1873 the new steamship Udea was built for the Burry Port Steamship Company of St Helens Place, London. Built by Schlesinger, Davis & Company Limited (Yard No. 51) at Wallsend in Newcastle and launched on 8th September 1873, she was an iron hulled steamship measuring 110.5′ x 18.1′ x 10.1′ and her tonnage was 157 gross tons, 92 net tons. She was powered by a 2 cylinder compound steam engine supplied by Christie, Gutch and Company of North Shields delivering 30 registered horse power. The vessel’s official number was 60770. The Udea passed through a number of owners through her career transferring to Pontyburn Colliery 1880-1881; Charles Nevill – Llanelly Copper Works 1881-1888; before being purchased by David MacBrayne in 1888 remaining in his ownership until her loss.

The Udea was employed as a small general cargo vessel delivering goods to ports and offshore islands along the west coast of Scotland. It was on this duty that she was lost around 3.30am on 7th April 1894 while on a voyage from Glasgow to Port of Ness, Isle of Lewis with a cargo of coal, girders and timber. While passing the Island of Gigha off the west coast of Kintyre, she hit Cath Sgeir Rock, floated off and sank in deep water 15 minutes later. The crew landed safely on the Isle of Gigha. 

Cath Sgeir is located on the west side of the Isle of Gigha, and is marked by a cardinal buoy and breaks surface at all states of the tide. This reef has been the cause of a number of shipwrecks over the centuries and the remains of at least four are still to be found around the reef today.  

The wreck of the Udea lies around 1.75 kilometres to the north of this reef in position 55 °40.519’N  005° 47.890’W. The wreck lies in 62-63 metres on a sand and mud seabed rising a maximum of 4 metres at the stern. While the identity of the wreck had not been confirmed by the recovery of any specific artefact the wreck is of a small rear engined steamship around 30 metres in length, oriented 125°/325° with stern to NW.  At the bow there is clear damage to the stem post, the result of her collision with Cath Sgeir. The bow winch has collapsed into the hull which rises no more than a metre above the seabed. The main hatch combing has also dropped into the hold although its outline is still visible. The hold itself is a jumble of metal some of which could be the cargo. At the stern there is more to see including the boiler, engine and main steam pipework.  The configuration and location of the wreck make it almost certain this is Udea.

The wreck is covered in a fine silt that kicks up when disturbed, so care here and we also noted a net at the stern but this is old and within the structure of the wreck. Generally the condition of the wreck is poor, much of the superstructure has collapsed inward  and normally the visibility is limited.