About Revisions The Wreck of the Beaumaris Castle Bermuda Max Depth: 36-40ft/11-12m Average Viz: 41-50ft/12-15m Entry Type: Boat Bottom Composition: Sand Aquatic Life: Plenty To See 1/05/2009 10:54 PM

• Beaumaris Castle - 1873 - English Sailing Vessel
  
• Colonel William G. Ball - 1943 - American Luxury Yacht
  
• The Avenger - 1874 - English Brigantine

This site is actually home to several wrecks. The Beaumaris Castle, is the more larger of them. The others include the Colonel William Ball, a 130 foot luxury yacht. Built in 1929 as The Egeria, sank in 1943 at Mill’s Breaker after hitting the reef in bad weather whilst being used as an harbour boat. Another wreck close by is thought to be The Avenger, a sailing vessel bound from Nova Scotia when she wrecked in February 1894. The ship was under the command of Captain F. C. Hicks and was carrying a cargo of salt, fish and saw boards when she smashed into Mill’s Breaker. The other wrecks remain unidentified to date......... Swim for 100 yards in any direction from your boat and you will encounter wreckage.
The Beaumaris Castle, was an iron sailing vessel, built in Glasgow, Scotland in 1864. She was 202 feet long and had a 35 foot 6 inch beam. She displaced 1,040 tons and according to Lloyds register, she was owned by Merchant S. H. Company and was traveling from Calcutta, India to New York carrying a cargo of linseed oil, jute and gum, when she ran aground on 25th April 1873 whilst under the command of Captain Emmett. Three attempts were made to salvage the vessel, but after the death of a diver, whilst attempting to remove cargo from the main cargo hold, the salvage efforts were abandoned. Today diver’s are held in much lower esteem and the general consensus among ship owners is that divers are more or less dispensable!!
The two wrecks lie at right angles to each other. Separated by a shallow breaker. The Beaumaris Castle, sits on top of Mills Breaker, with her bow in the sand at 40 feet. The wreck is about 200 feet long with her ribs (futtock’s) visible. Many dead eyes are visible although totally encrusted, these rigging fixtures create an eerie, skeletal appearance.

Although the two wrecks lie very close to each other, they are quiet distinct and it is very easy to tell them apart, as they are clearly from different eras. This site is always a good place to see huge schools of Barracuda and Snapper. Often large Groupers are seen. Lobsters can be found under the lips of the breaker ledges.

Mill’s Breaker is the final resting place of several other wrecks. Traveling no more than 100 yards in any direction from The Beaumaris Castle, you will encounter wreckage from many other wrecks. REMEMBER.... THE REEF IS FRAGILE! PLEASE DO NOT TOUCH OR TREAD ON LIVING CORAL.