Maritime record 2256 - LABRADOR: MACKENZIE'S ROCK, SKERRYVORE, ATLANTIC

NF81NW 9534 8378 1725
N 57 8.2333 W 7 13.6833

Quality of fix = PA
Horizontal Datum = OGB

Circumstances of Loss Details
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The SS LABRODOR was built in 1891 and was wrecked on Mackenzie Rock, near the Skerryvore Lighthouse, whilst en-route from St John, New Bruswick to Liverpool. It was owned at the time of loss by Mississippi & Dominion Steamship Co.
Source; Dictionary of Disasters at Sea

Surveying Details
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5 March 1975. The vessel was wrecked on the Mackenzie Rock at 57 08 14N, 007 13 41W approximately.
Report by P . L. Sellars, letter dated 11 February 1975.1

9 August 1975. The site was not located.
Report by D. Sloan, letter dated 31 July 1975.

Hydrographic Office, 1995.

2998nt, steel steamship, built by Harland and Wold, Belfast. Launched 1891. Dimensions: 401' x 47.2' x 28.3'
As the 62 passengers were waking up and preparing for their last day, they were disturbed around 7am by a light shudder. Slowly the alarm spread through the ship as they learnt that they were aground and that preparations were being made to disembark the passengers into the ship's boats. It was evident that the ship was badly damaged as the grain that was the majority of her cargo was bursting through the decks evidently swelling as it was soaked by the inrush of seawater. Most of the passengers escaped with only a few of their belongings. The sea was calm and by a second fortuitous stroke of luck the Norweigian steamer VIKING arrived on the scene and picked up all of the passengers and crew accept one boatload who had already headed off for Skerryvore.
Over the next few days items of floating wreckage littered the surrounding sea and many items came ashore on Mull, Coll and Tiree. Only a few of the 153 mail bags aboard were recovered. The ship istelf soon disappeared and by March 6th had parted amidships and become a total wreck. She was later heavily slavaged.
MacKenzie's rock is just visible at low tide from Skerryvore. The wreck itself lies on the north east side of the rock in position 56 17 28N, 7 10, 09W (GPS fix). The wreckage is vast. Her huge boilers and condenser lie within 50 metres of the rock in around 16 metres and the wreckage spreads out, towards the north east from there. The stern steering gear is located in the centre of the wreck obviously swept there by the huge forces of the sea. As wreckage spreads further from the rock it is concentrtaed in a deep gully which descends to around 28 metres before the wreckage finally runs out.
Source; Moir and Crawford 1994.

P and I Moir and Crawford, 1994, Argyll Shipwrecks, 175-7 175, 176 (Bibliographic reference). SWE36311.

B Baird, 1995, Shipwrecks of the West of Scotland, 179-80 179 (Bibliographic reference). SWE35761.