THE tragic and heroic tale of a century-old tug boat, which claimed 14 lives after it sank off the coast of Cape Jaffa, has finally emerged from the depths of the ocean floor.
Last Tuesday diver Steve Saville publicly confirmed he had located the 1917 Nyora’s wreck site 50km offshore with help from local fishermen, overseas geography experts and coordinates from survivors.
Mr Saville first found the remains of the 41 metre vessel in 2014, however due to its depth he could only spend a few minutes below the surface before starting his decompression schedule.
He returned to the site four years later and embarked on a series of “dark as night” dives during December, before favourable conditions returned and he was able to obtain clear footage.
Nyora sunk during the height of winter 1917 when heavy waves started smashing into its engine door during one of the worst storms experienced by South Australian sailors.
The ship had spent over a day ploughing through the ocean while it towed American master motor sailing ship, Astoria, from Port Pirie to Sydney.
Captain William McBain gave the order to lower the lifeboats after the waves hit, however the wild conditions proved too much for the vessel, which eventually met its untimely fate.
Only two of the 16 crew on board the ship survived after clinging to and sitting on top of a broken lifeboat, pulling a plank off of the bottom to row and steer.
They were joined by two other men, but both died from exposure within four hours.
A day later, the remaining stranded sailors were sighted by two lightkeepers, John Jameson and assistant Robert Thomas Clark, from the Margaret Brock Reef lighthouse off Cape Jaffa around 8.30am.
The duo rowed out and rescued the men and were awarded silver medals from the Royal Human Society of Australasia for their efforts.
Local diver Brian Foster, who was with Mr Saville when he discovered another local shipwreck some years ago, said the news of the Nyora was an important part of local history and would provide closure for descendants of those impacted by the tragedy.
“There were a lot of lives lost on the Nyora,” he said.
“I guess their immediate family were gone a long time ago, but for their descendants it is something they will now know.
“It is a part of our history, it is filling in the blanks and it will be there for the future.”
He said was exciting to think more discoveries could be made in local waters, including that of an undiscovered shipwreck near Carpenter Rocks.
“No one has been able to locate that, but if anyone can it would be Steve,” Mr Foster said.
“There is a lot of history that people tend to forget about, which has happened in our own backyard.
“Shipwrecks are a big part of our history and they are all protected now.
“It is exciting there are more possible discoveries that could be made, but I would imagine Steve has got them pretty well covered.”
