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S.S. Lord Strathcona
 St. John’s, NL, Canada
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Max Depth: 121-130ft/37-40m
Average Viz: 36-40ft/11-12m
Entry Type: Boat
Aquatic Life: Might See Something
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Rating: 5.00 by 1 divers
Spring: Under 50°F/10°C
Summer: Under 50°F/10°C
Fall: Under 50°F/10°C
Winter: Under 50°F/10°C
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S.S. Lord Strathcona is a boat accessible salt water dive site, located in St. John’s, NL, Canada. This dive site has an average rating of 5.00 out of 5 from 1 scuba divers. The maximum depth is 121-130ft/37-40m. The average visibility is 36-40ft/11-12m.
Local dive boat;
http://www.oxygenediving.com/newfoundland/dive-sites-7On the morning of September 5, 1942 while anchored off Bell Island, Conception Bay, Newfoundland the ore carrier SS Lord Strathcona was torpedoed and sunk. She was the second ship to meet her fate on this day at the hands of U-513, which had sunk the SS Saganaga only minutes before. Fortunately for the crew of the Lord Strathcona, they knew what was coming and took advantage of a few precious minutes to abandon ship, resulting in no loss of life.The German submarine U-513, commanded by Fritz Rolf Ruggeberg, was also spared this day as, in it’s haste to sink the SS Saganaga and to maneuver for another kill, struck the stern of the Lord Strathcona, damaging it’s own conning tower. Quickly recovering from this almost fatal blow, U-513 fired two torpedoes from its stern tubes and brought the Lord Strathcona down. U-513 was to meet its fate on July 19, 1943 off Santos, where she was depth charged and sunk by U.S. Naval Aircraft.Interestingly, it’s well worth noting that prior to the outbreak of the Second World War, Germany was the principal consumer for the iron ore produced at the Bell Island mines. It may well have been the same ore which was used to produce the U-boats and torpedoes that were to bring down these ships and cause such havoc on this day. The German High Command was very familiar with the Bell Island Anchorage and its strategic value in the war effort.
More info;
http://www.wrecksite.eu/wreck.aspx?17634More info;
http://www.bellislandshipwrecks.com/explore-shipwrecks/s-s-lord-strathconaYouTube;
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vaqeZZtIIpA