Air 1 Shipwreck in Adelaide

[Grippy]

Just mucking around down at a local shipwreck, the lighting was perfect just before sunset

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Sunset Pano by Ian Lucas, on Flickr

 

[Zbip57]

How did they get that ship all the way in there?

34°46'18.7"S 138°30'42.1"E · -34.771861, 138.511694

goo.gl

 

[hiflyer201]

Nice video but I think it was abandoned rather than wrecked....probably an interesting story

 

[MAvic_South_Oz]

How did they get that ship all the way in there?

34°46'18.7"S 138°30'42.1"E · -34.771861, 138.511694

goo.gl

Towed it up the small inlet and abandoned.
It’s Excelsior, an old steamer, parked up in Mutton Cove sanctuary after it’s working life came to an end.
At one point after abandonment, it was used as a live seafood ‘tank’ by fishermen.
Nice video and photo Ian, flew that and the main ships graveyard at Garden Island Oct 2019, long overdue for another day trip down the port area.

 

[Grippy]

How did they get that ship all the way in there?

34°46'18.7"S 138°30'42.1"E · -34.771861, 138.511694

goo.gl

I've always wondered the same thing.

 

[Grippy]

Towed it up the small inlet and abandoned.
It’s Excelsior, an old steamer, parked up in Mutton Cove sanctuary after it’s working life came to an end.
At one point after abandonment, it was used as a live seafood ‘tank’ by fishermen.
Nice video and photo Ian, flew that and the main ships graveyard at Garden Island Oct 2019, long overdue for another day trip down the port area.

Thanks mate, it's a great little spot, especially at night for long exposures and light painting, although the mozzies are fierce!

 

[MAvic_South_Oz]

although the mozzies are fierce!

Oh yeah, I bet they are !!

End of that road In is a great place to film ships coming and going.

There is some sort of drone blocking tech in Pelican Point power station just downriver though, had to do a detour along the river back once as I couldn’t get it to move over the edge of the land area past the riverbank (for more drone safety).

Also had a suspicions work ute arrive as I filmed a ship steaming downriver, it just parked and watch me and the brother in law as we flew.
Left as we landed.
Some sort of detection gear I felt as it is probably regarded as vital infrastructure (never tried passing the riverbank).

 

[Grippy]

Oh yeah, I bet they are !!

End of that road In is a great place to film ships coming and going.

There is some sort of drone blocking tech in Pelican Point power station just downriver though, had to do a detour along the river back once as I couldn’t get it to move over the edge of the land area past the riverbank (for more drone safety).

Also has a suspicions work ute arrive as I filmed a ship steaming downriver, it just parked and watch me and the brother in law as we flew.
Left as we landed.
Some sort of detection gear I felt as it is probably regarded as vital infrastructure (never tried passing the riverbank).

That's interesting. I'd assume the power station just has high interference due to the power it's producing, however I'm not sure that has powered rig runs all that often, only in peak loading in summer.
At that wreck I had a car full of undesirables pull up next to mine and one got out walking around my car, while I was shooting the sunset down at the wreck years ago, I stood up on the bank near the wreck staring at them, they looked and realised I'm not small and moved over the road to continue watching.

 

[bushie]

Is that a couple of dolphins around 1.0 min?

 

[Grippy]

Is that a couple of dolphins around 1.0 min?

I wondered that too when I first looked at the file, I think it's a couple of scab ducks.
There are dolphins in that stretch of the Port, usually see them a few k's down by the yacht club

 

[hiflyer201]

It’s Excelsior, an old steamer, parked up in Mutton Cove sanctuary after it’s working life came to an end.
At one point after abandonment, it was used as a live seafood ‘tank’ by fishermen.

Those old ships are gone but not forgotten. You can generally find photos of them in their prime and other interesting information. The Excelsior was launched in the late 1800's for instance.

 

[Gagey52]

Thanks for sharing, must check that out next trip south.
Regards,

 

[MAvic_South_Oz]

Those old ships are gone but not forgotten. You can generally find photos of them in their prime and other interesting information. The Excelsior was launched in the late 1800's for instance.

for sure mate, a google of Adelaide ships graveyard, some great info (extensive ships history where known) and maps to be found.
I have kayaked the main river area numerous times, and that's given me a great inspiration to fly to them and film / photograph them as well.

One such flight I still want to do is to Santiago, which entails 1.2km one way.
Have a nice elevated launch spot that gives perfect LOS, will do that with strobes and hopefully not get too nervous.
The wooden skeleton of Dorothy H Stirling is along that route, and at low tide can be seen (walked on too) easily.

 

[Grippy]

for sure mate, a google of Adelaide ships graveyard, some great info (extensive ships history where known) and maps to be found.
I have kayaked the main river area numerous times, and that's given me a great inspiration to fly to them and film / photograph them as well.

One such flight I still want to do is to Santiago, which entails 1.2km one way.
Have a nice elevated launch spot that gives perfect LOS, will do that with strobes and hopefully not get too nervous.
The wooden skeleton of Dorothy H Stirling is along that route, and at low tide can be seen (walked on too) easily.

I too have contemplated flying out to the Santiago, however it's quite a way out down the river.
It would be closer to go up the electrical line causeway near the Garden Island boat ramp and you have a straight shot at it from there, last few times I've been down there the gate has been unlocked or open.

 

[Grippy]

Only thing to be weary of is the power lines overhead, although they're big buggers, they made mine freak out when I got to close to the suckers down at Mutton Cove

 

[MAvic_South_Oz]

I too have contemplated flying out to the Santiago, however it's quite a way out down the river.
It would be closer to go up the electrical line causeway near the Garden Island boat ramp and you have a straight shot at it from there, last few times I've been down there the gate has been unlocked or open.

Only thing to be weary of is the power lines overhead, although they're big buggers, they made mine freak out when I got to close to the suckers down at Mutton Cove

I certainly looked at that Grippy, have gone across the causeway (carried kayaks) from north arm to the other side river channel one trip, when the tide was flowing down Angas channel with white cap rapids !!

The HT powerlines are something I just want to avoid, they could put out a heap of magnetic influence, and possibly cause issues, although it would only 400m or so each way.

Have a look here . . .

Google maps

1.2km to Santiago, and almost directly via Dorothy H Stirling (low tide sat image), the DHT is a couple of hundred metres back on the opposite side of the river, big mangrove tree grows through it.

That take off spot (long time development) was accessible last time I was down there, hopefully still ok when I get back there.
It's elevated, so the flight could be kept quite low, signal should be no issue.

It'd be the furthest I would have flown, previously 1km very remote desert region.
If it goes down, then at least it'd be in the river and no harm done on the ground.

I've driven around looking for other access points, none.

 

[Grippy]

I certainly looked at that Grippy, have gone across the causeway (carried kayaks) from north arm to the other side river channel one trip, when the tide was flowing down Angas channel with white cap rapids !!

The HT powerlines are something I just want to avoid, they could put out a heap of magnetic influence, and possibly cause issues, although it would only 400m or so each way.

Have a look here . . .

Google maps

1.2km to Santiago, and almost directly via Dorothy H Stirling (low tide sat image), the DHT is a couple of hundred metres back on the opposite side of the river, big mangrove tree grows through it.

That take off spot (long time development) was accessible last time I was down there, hopefully still ok when I get back there.
It's elevated, so the flight could be kept quite low, signal should be no issue.

It'd be the furthest I would have flown, previously 1km very remote desert region.
If it goes down, then at least it'd be in the river and no harm done on the ground.

I've driven around looking for other access points, none.

Yep it's a tricky one. I haven't flown thst far yet either. You can still walk out to the first wreck from the road, there's just a fence you have to duck around at the top, used to climb out onto it to fish many years ago, that would mean your take off point is a little closer.
Other option is if the racing club is open, just ask someone if you can park up and have a fly, I'm sure they wouldn't mind.

 

[MAvic_South_Oz]

You can still walk out to the first wreck from the road, there's just a fence you have to duck around at the top,

..
This little track / old cleared access through the mangrove ?
A good spot and keeping reasonably high, I found signal is good for those old barge wrecks nearby.

Other option is if the racing club is open, just ask someone if you can park up and have a fly, I'm sure they wouldn't mind.

Thought about speedboat club, would likely be 200m closer. and although good LOS / VLOS, it's right at river level, so not sure about VLOS for long, even with strobes.
The elevated point in map link (post 16) is probably around 80m - 90m higher ground.

Looking a the map again I wonder if that Club Road is accessible further, say down to HERE . . .
Down to ~ 700m flight distance each way from there.

Might be worth a call and see if permission could be gained (though I was thinking dawn or sunset flight).

 

[Grippy]

..
This little track / old cleared access through the mangrove ?
A good spot and keeping reasonably high, I found signal is good for those old barge wrecks nearby.



Thought about speedboat club, would likely be 200m closer. and although good LOS / VLOS, it's right at river level, so not sure about VLOS for long, even with strobes.
The elevated point in map link (post 16) is probably around 80m - 90m higher ground.

Looking a the map again I wonder if that Club Road is accessible further, say down to HERE . . .
Down to ~ 700m flight distance each way from there.

Might be worth a call and see if permission could be gained (though I was thinking dawn or sunset flight).

Yep, that's the little track, it used to be much clearer, then they stuck a fence there, can still get down there though, I did a few weeks back, but it was high tide, so no where clear to launch from. Interesting how they stick a fence there to keep a few people a week out, but they have no problem clearing and bulldozing half the rest of the island behind there for whatever reason.
On the other side, no luck unless the gates are open and you get permission, it's got a fairly hefty gate there now, many years ago we used to fish in there too.
Not sure about the tracks out the back of the race club, looks like there is a gate there, as they go out into the wet lands.
Other option is a kayak, I've been looking for an excuse to buy one for years.
There's apparently a few interesting wrecks just off the coast over at the bottom of Yorkes if you're ever over that way.

 

[MAvic_South_Oz]

Yep, that's the little track, it used to be much clearer, then they stuck a fence there, can still get down there though, I did a few weeks back, but it was high tide, so no where clear to launch from.

Still accessible a while back, there looks to be an old fence you can just walk around, then the track is easy to walk down.
We found a couple of maybe 3m x 4m spots to launch from, surrounded by 3m mangroves, though staying reasonably high had no probs with signal.
Need a launch pad or sorts to avoid dampness / rocks etc, though there are flat spots you can find.
I avoided RTH (and usually do anyway).

Other option is a kayak

I thought about doing it from a kayak (hand launch / retrieve), but think it's safer (for the drone) just flying it from the elevated spot I found.
If I was game enough to do that I'd probably use the Spark, even though I'd hate to lose that too !

It'd still be cool to film those wrecks from a kayak, maybe combine footage from my Pocket along with some aerial footage.

I've been looking for an excuse to buy one for years.

We've just always hired them, last time was a while back $45 a day, probably a bit more now.

Should do a trip sometime, outgoing tide is really neat as the water swirling around the Santiago creates some great visuals, and then a walk on the Dorothy H Stirling is good to do on the low . . . even down to the barges and then hopefully incoming tide has turned for the run back (we put in at the boat ramp North Arm usually).