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13 June 2009 07:13
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Le Torquet in the mid to late 1950s
In 1949, the shipbuilding
company Navals de Caen of
Blaineville sur Orne (Calvados,
Normandie) which is (I think)
near Le Harve, France, built a
side fishing trawler named Le
Touquet for Pollet Freres and
Cri of Boulogne sur mer (on
the sea), France. The new ship
was 43.5 metres long
(although I have also been
advised that it was 39.6), 7.5
metres wide and it displaced
297 tons gross. Its registration
number was B2506. It had two
four cylinder diesel engines
(built, I think, by Christiansen
& Mayer ) driving twin props
which were changed to twin
five cylinder engines at some
time. In July 1958 the Le
Touquet was sold to Jules
Lefort, Albert Massif, Gaston
Tocque, Philippe Lemesle who
(I think, owned) Societie
D’Armement des Saleurs
Fecampois of Fecamp, France.
Its registration was now
F1161.
This was a short-lived ownership as in June 1959 it was sold to Milford Fisheries Pty Ltd from Milford Haven in Wales. It was
obviously used as a fishing vessel but over the next few years it was modified a fair bit. The first was that the twin engines
were removed in 1960 and replaced by an eight cylinder diesel engine (this was removed, reconditioned and refitted in
1968). The ship was converted to a single prop at the same time. In 1962 it under went even more changes. First, the Le
Touquet was sold to Fosnovag Havfiske of Alesund, Norway (Alesund is a decent size town in the fjords of Norway near where
I dived in October 2000 - Fosnovaq [correct spelling Fosnavaq] is a smaller town on the island next to where I dived). At the
same time it was renamed Fosnavaq but more importantly, it was lengthened and modified as a general cargo motorship. An
almost five metre section was added to the vessel bringing the length to 48.2 metres and increasing the displacement to 405
tons. For the next 19 years or so the Fosnavaq traded the Nordic countries.
In 1981 the vessel was renamed Semle Federsen and may have been sold then to the Baltic Schooner Association Ltd of
Georgetown in the Cayman Islands. However, Lloyds Register shows the vessel as being still owned by Fosnovag Havfiske
until 1983-84. Presumably she traded around the Caribbean for the next few years.
However, I have found a report that indicates the Semle Federsen was in Vanuatu in 1980 so perhaps it was leased out and
was actually working in the Pacific. The report states that when the rebellion occurred on Santo in May 1980, the ship was
used to evacuate refugees from Santo. It is stated that on the night of 30 May 1980, a large number of the residents of Santo
fled and went to Tangoa Point at South Santo.
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Together with the MV Nalkutan and MV Konanda, the three ships ferried 2,000 people from Santo to Malekula
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A panoramic photograph of the Semle Federsen taken in June 2007
In about 1984 the Federsen was sold to Vanua Navigation S.r.I. of Port Vila, Vanuatu but it was appears to have been unable
to meet survey as in 1985 it was scuttled as a dive site a few kilometres outside Port Vila Harbour in about 30 metres of
water.
As I have indicated above, the Semle Federsen, was originally sunk in relatively shallow water. However, the Semle Federsen
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Trips.
was moved to deeper water by the huge seas whipped up during Cyclone Uma in 1987 (an enormous storm as I arrived in
Port Vila a few days after the storm hit and experienced the damage first hand).
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Current Kirrawee
Weather
A summary of the current
weather conditions at my
house at Kirrawee, Sydney, is
below. Click here for more
Detailed Diving Weather and
Conditions.
The Semle Federsen is now located out of Port Vila Harbour towards Pango Point. This is past Ifira Island and near Paradise
Cove Resort. The reef here is called Pango Reef and the wreck is found about 40 metres or so off the main reef. There is a
mooring on the wreck as well as one on the reef.
The Semle Federsen now sits upright but with a bow down attitude. The bow faces south. The prop is in about 40 metres (the
stern is in about 35 metres) of water and the bow in more than 55 metres. The mooring is attached to the kingpost so it is
well positioned for exploring the whole wreck.
Conditions at 7:14 on 13/6/09
Temperature
5.3°C
Humidity
80%
Barometer
1013.59hPa
Rate
0.263hPa/hr
Wind Speed:
0 km/hr
Wind
Direction
SE
Rainfall for
Today
0.00mm
Rainfall last
hour
0.00 mm
Rainfall last
24 hours
0.00 mm
Rainfall at
Start of
Month
437.80 mm
Rainfall this
Year
444.60 mm
Today's Extremes
High
Temperature
7.2°C at
0:01
Low
Temperature
5.2°C at
5:52
Peak Wind
Gust
0km/hr at
0:00
Yesterday's Extremes
High
Temperature
16.3°C
at 13:19
Low
Temperature
7.0°C at
7:38
Rainfall at Start
of Yesterday
444.60
mm
Rainfall at End of 444.60
Yesterday
mm
The bow of the Semle Federsen
The holds and bridge of the Semle Federsen
I have now dived the wreck three times. Twice we went straight down the mooring and the other time we started off on the
reef mooring and swam out and back to the wreck. This is NOT the recommended way to do it as you lose too much bottom
time at the start of the dive.
On two of my dives here I could see the wreck almost as soon as I descended. On these dives the visibility was excellent, at
least 30 or 35 metres. I could even see the entire wreck as I descended and one dive I swam off to the port side of the wreck
(41 metres) from where I could also see the entire wreck.
On one dive as I videoed the scene, my buddies reached the deck and started their exploration. I joined them and examined
the bridge area (30 to 33 metres) before we dropped into the second hold where I reached 45 metres. The holds are quite
large and extend down to almost 55 metres. On all my dives we only spent a minute or so in this area before entering the
engine room from the hold.
Astronomical Data
Sunrise
6:58
Sunset
16:53
Moonrise
21:44
Moonset
10:32
A photo from inside the holds of the Semle Federsen
The kingpost of the Semle Federsen
On another dive I went to the bow and we could see all the way back to the bridge. See the photograph above of this view.
You can swim back over the winches and bollards and then enter the holds.
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The engine room is very spacious area, unlike the engine room of the similarly sized Henri Bonneaud at Santo which is very
tight and cramped. We swam around, looking at everything to be seen and then exited through a hatch into the lower bridge
area before moving outside onto the deck. You can get some excellent video footage or photographs of the stern from out
behind the wreck.
Drop down and look at the prop and rudder before moving back up to the top deck (about 30 metres). You will easily be able
to do a 16 minute bottom time. An alternative if other divers on the boat opt to dive the shallower Pango Reef, you can swim
over to the reef and complete your dive in this area. It is quite interesting.
Kelly looking through a window on the bridge of the Semle
Federsen
The stern and prop of the Semle Federsen
All in all, this was an excellent dive. The Semle Federsen is well worth doing if you ever visit Port Vila. Nautilus Scuba’s
service was exceptional, if somewhat over protective and seemingly aimed at the lowest common denominator. However,
even though they had briefed us on the maximum depths and times we were permitted to spend on the various wrecks we
dived with them, they did not take exception to us exceeding those margins. Even inexperienced divers should have no
problem with this wreck if they are with more experienced divers.
As I indicated above, the water visibility was excellent and must have been about 30 to 35 metres. The water temperature is
between 26°C and 28°C.
References:
z Lloyds Register 1986-87, 1985-86, 1983-84, 1984-85, 1964-65, 1963-64 to 1960-61, 1959-60, 1950-51
z Email and photos dated 11 July 2003 from Jack Daussy of Fecamp, France
z http://www.news.vu/en/news/national/050808-Vanuatu-Santo-rebellion-remembered.shtml
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