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- some ships that did not make it -

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"Seawise University" / RMS "Queen Elizabeth"

- the ultimate wreck -

First a series of pictures I took of the wreck of "Seawise University" Ex. RMS "Queen Elizabeth" as she looked in 1973 after she burned the year before in Victoria Harbour, Hong Kong.

This is the remains of one of the most famous ships in the World, - RMS "Queen Elizabeth".
When she was launched, she was the biggest passenger ship ever built, - and remained so for the next 34 years -, although she started her career as a troop carrier during WW2, when she was modified to carry about 15.000 soldiers.
After the war she remained in active service as a passenger liner until she retired 1968, - being replaced by "Queen Elizabeth 2" in 1969.
In 1970 she was sold to wealthy businessman C. W. Tung of Hong Kong and renamed "Seawise University".
However, - in January 1972 -, during the final stages of her conversion to a floating university the ship caught fire, and the former "Queen" burned out completely and ended on the bottom of Hong Kong's Victoria Harbour, - and another great ship was gone forever - - - - -
The reason for the fire?
Well, - the cause of this fire was never established and therefore only rumours remains.
Since the ship apparently burned everywhere from stern to stem at the same time, it is believed that these fires most likely were started on purpose, since it is unlikely that several fires could ignite spontaneously, - from bow to stern -, in a ship more than 300 meters long.
One rumour says insurance fraught, - another rumour says sabotage from communists, since Mr. Tung was not a great supporter of the communist idea, but preferred the democratic system of Kuomintang. It must be kept in mind, that in those days China's economy was not super capitalist as we see it today, - and anything capitalist was in fact considered very, very bad. (Strange how fast things can change!)
Therefore it is quite possible, that fanatic communists from that time would see it as a heroic act if they could do a spectacular strike against a capitalist person or symbol, - and it would be even better if it took place right in the middle of a capitalist stronghold on the China coast.
Whatever, - the "Queen" died - - - -

On the World Wide Web there are apparently not so many good pictures of the spectacular wreck of the former "Queen Elizabeth" , - hence I decided to publish a series of my own photos I took in 1973, when the wreck was still intact.
I simply hired a "walla-walla" in Tsimshatsui and sailed out to the wreck site where I circled the impressive wreck, - and took photos - - - -
In 1974 the scrappers arrived and started to cut up the huge hull, - bit by bit -, and in 1975 nothing of the huge ship could be seen, - but still some parts of her, - the keel and some of the bottom section -, should still be resting there in the mud of Victoria Harbour.

Please enjoy my pics of this most spectacular wreck of one of the most famous ships in the World - - - -

1973-04-098
"Seawise University"
Photographed in Hong Kong in 1973
(Photography © Karsten Petersen)

Completed: 1940
Builder: John Brown & Co., Clydebank
Tons: 83673
LOA.: 314,2 m
Beam: 36,2 m.
Propulsion: 4 steam turbines, - 28,5 knots.
Renamed "Seawise University" in 1970, - wrecked by fire in 1972, and scrapped in 1974/1975

1973-04-099
"Seawise University"
Photographed in Hong Kong in 1973
(Photography © Karsten Petersen)

1973-04-100
"Seawise University"
Photographed in Hong Kong in 1973
(Photography © Karsten Petersen)

1973-05-001
"Seawise University"
Photographed in Hong Kong in 1973
(Photography © Karsten Petersen)

1973-05-002
"Seawise University"
Photographed in Hong Kong in 1973
(Photography © Karsten Petersen)

1973-05-003
"Seawise University"
Photographed in Hong Kong in 1973
(Photography © Karsten Petersen)

1973-05-004
"Seawise University"
Photographed in Hong Kong in 1973
(Photography © Karsten Petersen)

Does these pictures look familiar?
Well, - James Bond fans might remember the picture of this massive rusty hull, where Bond enters the opening you see on my pictures, - and inside is a top modern office fully equipped with everything that a secret service needs - - - -

1973-05-005
"Seawise University"
Photographed in Hong Kong in 1973
(Photography © Karsten Petersen)

1973-05-006
"Seawise University"
Photographed in Hong Kong in 1973
(Photography © Karsten Petersen)

1977-03-041
Hong Kong Harbour in 1977
This is what the wreck site of famous britisk passenger liner "Queen Elizabeth" looked like after she was broken up.
(Photography by Karsten Petersen ©)

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Here a sereies of pics from Kaohsiung, - Taiwan -, taken in 1977.
What caused this sinking of many ships was of course a typhoon, that had hit the island.

The ships in port apparently sunk because the water level rose so much during the typhoon, that some ships could drift over the quay, and when the water fell again, some ships remained with part of their hulls on the quay, - and then tumbled over, as the water level dropped.

1977-09-044
This ship sank just outside the port of Kaohsiung, - Taiwan -, in 1977.
(Photography by Karsten Petersen ©)

1977-09-054
Sunken ships in the port of Kaohsiung, - Taiwan -, in 1977.
(Photography by Karsten Petersen ©)

1977-09-055
Sunken ship in the port of Kaohsiung, - Taiwan -, in 1977.
(Photography by Karsten Petersen ©)

1977-09-056
Sunken ship in the port of Kaohsiung, - Taiwan -, in 1977.
(Photography by Karsten Petersen ©)

1977-09-057
Sunken ship in the port of Kaohsiung, - Taiwan -, in 1977.
(Photography by Karsten Petersen ©)

1977-09-058
Sunken ship in the port of Kaohsiung, - Taiwan -, in 1977.
(Photography by Karsten Petersen ©)

1977-09-059
Sunken ship in the port of Kaohsiung, - Taiwan -, in 1977.
(Photography by Karsten Petersen ©)

The Wreck of the "Santa Leonor"
- photographed in the Smyth Channel at Isla Shoal, - the Magellan Strait -, Jan. 19. 1986 -

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Here pics of the wreck of "Globe Star", - on the reef outside Mombasa -, photographed in March 1978.
This is ex. Palm Lines "Burutu Palm", commissioned in 1952, DWT.: 8441, - LOA.: 137.7 m., - Beam: 17,6 m., - Propulsion: Diesel, - 11 Knots
Renamed: "Tyhi" 1967, - "Globe Star" 1973, - and wrecked off Mombasa in 1973.

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"Timur Providence", - built as "Montoro" -, on the beach of Cijin Island off Kaohsiung, photographed in 1973.
Commissioned: 1956, - DWT.: 3800 Tons, - LOA.: 99,5 m., - Beam: 14,1 m.,- Propulsion: Diesel, - Speed: 13,5 Knots.
Burned at sea off Tainan, - and later beached as a wreck at Cijin Island in 1973.

A closer look at the burned out hull of "Timur Providence" on the beach of Cijin Island in 1973

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Page initiated: Feb.13.2010
Page updated: Jan.09.2011, - jan.16.2011, - Jan.29.2011, - Feb.02.2011, - Feb.17.2011