8 Aug 2008 - ** Another New Wreck Found **

Several of us from SQSAC organised a Trip on Friday to Dive what we thought was the British Tanker DESABLA sunk by a U-Boat in 1915, This site lies 40 miles offshore from Eyemouth and after much wether watching we decided to go for it and have a Run out there...It was very Rough and a few of us were pretty seasick but after a 3hour steam out we arrived onsite to see an enormous shape appear on the sounder at over 120m long and standing 15 metres off the Seabed.

Shane and I dropped in closeley followed by the rest and found a large ship intact and upright with a 40 degree list to Starboard, the Bridge area was at about 39-48m with the seabed at 53m, 25m+ visibility and ambient light at 50m, torches not really needed.

Anyway it became obvious this wasnt a Tanker as it had four huge empty holds and was well armed with at least seven guns, Three at the Bow - a heavy Gun and two Machineguns, two at the Stern both large and two Anti Aircraft Guns on either side of the Bridge... one had collapsed over onto the seabed...on the Bridge all the Navigation equipment was still there, and portholes lin piles everywhere.

Too soon our 35 minute bottom time was up and it was up the shot for 45min of decompression stops before surfacing.

Luckily Jer from Aberdeen had the presence of mind to bag a lot of dishes and crockery while the rest of us were mesmerised by all that loose brass...on the surface the crest was AMERICAN EXPORT LINE, so not the DESABLA as it would have read BANK LINE. After a bit of searching she was identified as the American Freighter EXMOUTH which ran into a British Minefield while in Convoy to Methil for New York on the 31st July 1944 all the crew were rescued and she sank to lie forgotten on the seabed for 64 years.

A cracking Dive with shoals of fish and huge Lobsters who were not afraid of Divers...probably never having seen one...No Bell found...maybe next time.

Shane and Ross have some great pictures which we may get for the website soon..

Stevie