Illinois shipwreck today

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The Wreck Today
Visiting divers to the wreck of the ‘Illinois’ will not be disappointed and the long journey out to the wreck makes worthwhile. The wreck rests on a sand gravel seabed of 70m 33 miles south of the Bill of Portland and other than her supposed torpedo damage is completely intact sitting upright on an even keel with her decks reachable at 55m.

The wreck was originally a three-island vessel with two decks and two masts and today is effectively one of the largest intact wrecks within the area. The diver will find there is no need to drop to the seabed only to view the huge prop and will find most of their dive on top of the wreck within the shallower levels. Working from the very stern the visiting diver will note that for reasons unknown a small section appears to have been broken off or simply missing.As we know from the photographs she sank bow first so the damage was not a result of seabed impact.

Diver lights up a porthole in the accommodation block

The accommodation block will be found at the stern castle where the diver can freely swim around the remains of various rooms and corridors. Immediately behind the accommodation block is the ships huge engine room which is easily attainable by swimming directly over the top of the wreck and dropping down through the roof void which has long since collapsed.

Above Left:- Jo Fox looks into an open hatchway on the deck
Above centre:- Inside the bow quarters of the wreck
Above right:- A look above the bow quarters on the deck itself.

The 3-cylinder triple expansion steam engine itself is still intact today and the diver can swim 360º entirely around here following the different gantry walkways once used by the crew. On the sides of the engine is various pipe-work that leads to intricate oil boxes of various sizes. It is possibly to make your exit through and out of the accommodation block where many potholes have fallen out of position and still lie on the decks. From each deck level within the engine room again there are several rooms to further explore all of which appear with their hull sides intact. As the diver leaves the stern castle they will immediately notice the extensive damage of the huge hole in her starboard side created by what we believe a torpedo fired from UC-21. The damage simply appears too extensive for scuttle charges alone and in fact penetrates completely through the ship right through into the port hull.

Inside the wreck

Located in the same area is the stern mast, which now lies along the wreck in front of the engine room. Continuing along her decks there is still much to see as the diver swims across ladders leading to different deck levels as well as debris from the now collapsing amidships castle and a mass of huge pipe-work with large flanges. Along the decks several winches become obvious, as do mooring bollards still fixed securely in position.

The structural frame of a small pump house remains intact, as does its covered skylight. It is relatively easy to locate the once elevated bridge area and to the starboard side the diver will see a spare prop still secured fast. Over the years the bridge has collapsed with structure and framework now forming a W shape in appearance. Here the diver is able to in fact swim under and through towards the bow. As the diver approaches the raised fo’castle level they will immediately be confronted by the huge anchor winch and machinery also still in situ. The wreck itself lies along the tide which as the tide picks up allows the diver to drift back across the site using those last few valuable minutes of bottom time before bagging off! Visibility over the wreck can be variable with an average of approx. 8meters and quite clearly the wreck is so large that many divers find themselves returning to explore previously uncovered areas.

Alternatively the Illinois makes for one of the better DPV dives in UK waters allowing the entire wreck to be covered in a single dive and many UK deep wreck divers regard this wreck to be somewhere at the top of their list. Being one of the best wreck dives in the channel her exact position has been withheld here on request. The divers guide to Weymouth & Portland describes the wreck, as a ‘Skin Deep special’ and Ian Taylor who now skippers the charter will still make the 3½-hour journey out to the wreck with experienced divers. Alternatively Graham Knot whom also holds the position will also run charters to the site.

Pump house workings inside the wrecks holds amidships

For further diving details Contact (correct as from 2005)
Skin Deep diving: - 01305 787372
Weychieftain II: - 01305 771371 www.weymouthdiving.com
'The author would like to thank both Alan Dunster and Bob Hughes for making these pages happen'.

Footnote:- (All artifacts that are seen here have been correctly restored and declared through the correct channels)

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