Report - MV Chica ship wreck, River Weaver, cheshire, Feb 2014

[The Kwan]

Not stricly UE and a lovely sunday stroll but thought I would post it anyway as it has some interesting History, Visited with Georgie and Telf, thanks to Georgie for the invite and legwork.

HISTORY
This wreck has some fascinating history and started life in 1894 as a cargo barge in Norway and was commandeered by the German Navy during the occupation of Norway in WW2 and after the war found herself running guns in the Mediterranean and finally smuggling cigarettes and tobacco across the straights of Gibralter only to find herself as part of the fishing fleet in Liverpool bay in 1950 and in 1981 she was bought by a businessman to run cruises up and down the river weaver but during a period of inactivity in 1993 she started taking on water and with nobody onboard to operate the bilge pumps she listed and her fate was sealed and she has not moved since and can still be seen sticking out of the water and now part of the scenery.

This is how she looked when she sank almost twenty five years ago picture from Andy coles

A flyer from her cruising days

The old tub nowadays

And today, a pretty sad end for such a stoic old girl.

I poked my camera through a porthole and got a shot of the inside wardroom, check the collapsed roof

Telf went onboard and we were waiting for his 18 stones to fall through the rotten deck but turns out that he is a bit dainty on his feet

What time is it? Thought he was trying to beam himself up but turns out Georgie was getting to grips with his wireless gopro....poser

Nearby were some gorgeous sandstone sluice gates that passed under a bridge and we couldnt help but have a look

el gruppo shots

bell end with a boat

Sir Georgie of Georgieville ..smile!!

Thanks for looking

 

[Bill Payer]

I've just paddled my kayak past it, my paddling companions dad used to be it's purser back in the day... She used to be based on the Mersey I think at Garston Dock, until the Mersey docks and harbour company went extortionate on the mooring fees. I think it met it's end when a butty barge clouted it where it was moored near Dutton Locks. A bit sad really.
.