A comprehensive illustrated history of ships of all types which have been wrecked on the shores of the Isle of Wight, or in the surrounding sea, from Roman times to the late 1970s. Includes accounts of famous disasters such as the Mary Rose, Royal George, Eurydice, Eider, Gladiator and the Pacific Glory, plus the scuttling of the royal cutter Britannia. Sailing ships, paddle steamers, submarines, and cargo vessels - they are all here.
Shipwrecks of the Wight starts off with the basics, devoting a double page spread to a map of Island shipwrecks and their details, as well as the informative ‘Guide to Sail’, giving the reader a stronger background knowledge of the maritime subject before even the introduction begins.
Despite the fact that any 2000 year old shipwrecks may have perished or been swept away by the strong tidal current, there is a surprising amount to say about Roman shipwrecks. John Medland is able to weave a strong sense of intrigue into the subject, drawing information from contemporary reports of frequent wrecks as well as speculating on the possible reasons for these incidents.
Towards the end of the book John tells the story and the potential catastrophe of the Pacific Glory, a 43,000 ton Liberian super-tanker that suffered a collision and several explosions in 1970 just three miles off the south coast of the Island, killing one third of the crew and causing a blazing inferno that released nearly 70,000 gallons of crude oil onto the Island’s precious beaches.
John uses images to great advantage throughout the book. From the contemporary etchings and paintings near the beginning, right through to the eerie early photographs of ships stranded on jagged rocks as we near the present day.
