Maritime record MWX2115 - Enecuri (The Spaniard)

Horizontal Datum: OGB Vertical Datum: LAT Orientation: 185/005 The ENECURI was a Spanish steamship which sank 29-DEC-1900 after drifting on to Portland breakwater. Crew of 26 all saved, but the captain was drowned when he returned to his ship. (1)(2)

10-AUG-1967: Remains of broken up wreck, spars, hull and plates etc., in 50 34 52.5N, 02 24 51W. 08-JUN-1978: Referred to as The Spaniard (Possibly the ENCURI) in BSAC Wreck Register 014). Reported as iron hull listing to starboard, broken amidships, but bow and stern distinguishable, iron prop still present, stands approximately 5 meters above the seabed. A pontoon lies along the port side. 10-DEC-1980: Name confirmed as ENECURI from locals. 29-APR-1981: Dived on 05-APR-1981 Apparently broken in two. Bow stands approximately 20 feet high in depth 40 to 60 feet, heading south and about 50 feet out from breakwater. Position just south of beacon and just opposite bunker. (1)

Built 1894 (5)

gross tonnage

Position 50 34.86N 2 24.85W taken from (6)

Wreck site and archaeological remains:

Horizontal Datum: OGB
Vertical Datum: LAT
Orientation: 185/005

14-OCT-2004: EUT position 5034.824N 0224.917W. (5)(6)

25-MAR-2008: Wreck examined in 5034.824N 0224.933W (WGD) using DGPS. The least multibeam depth is 4.63m in a general depth of 14.31m. No scour. Length 85.2m. Width 11.9m. Height 9.68m. The wreck lies at 003/183 degrees. The bow section is upright and clearly defined, and has a slight list to starboard. The stern is broken up or buried. (5)(6) Digital marine geographic information derived from SeaZone Hydrospatial 10-Dec-15 and United Kingdom Hydrographic Office (UKHO) wreck report 18654

3 wooden pulleys and 2 lamp frames recovered from this wreck, Portland Harbour. (Droit A/2381). <7>

A brass port hole weighing approximately 4kg. The object has no markings, and the glass is all cracked. The porthole was recovered from the seafloor in between the wreck of the ENECURI and the nearby wrecked barge (see record 1160859). The droit has been double indexed to the two wreck records, as it is unclear which wreck the porthole originally came from. (Droit 259/09). <8>

Wreck event and documentary evidence:

Vessel was formerly called MARISTOW.

`Vessel dragged her anchors in wind conditions NW force 9 and went ashore on the breakwater rocks. Her crew managed to scramble ashore onto the breakwater. The captain returned to the vessel next day with his dog and was warned by the Coastguards to return ashore in case she capsized. He disregarded the warning, and when the vessel slid off the rocks and sank, both he and his pet drowned. The Weymouth lifeboat was launched when the steamship stranded, but the seas were so huge that they were unable to render any assistance. The vessel sank in 12m general depth, orientated 185/005 degrees. Wreck is said to be broken up but bow and stern reasonably intact still, standing some 5m above the seabed, due S and 50 feet out from the Breakwater.' <5>

Built: 1894
Builder: Sir Raylton Dixon and Company
Where built: Middlesbrough
Propulsion: Screw driven, 3 cylinder triple expansion engine
Horsepower: 224
Boilers: 2
Crew: 26
Crew lost: 1
Master: Jose Roman

Ownership history:
1894-1899: MARISTOW. Bellamy & Co.
1899-1900: ENECURI. F.de Abasolo. <9>

<1> United Kingdom Hydrographic Office, 1992, Hydrographic Office wreck index (Index). SWX4837.

<2> 1976, Dorset magazine : the county magazine vol. 50, p22 (Article in serial). SWX4560.

<3> 2001, Maritime and Coastguard Agency: Receiver of Wreck Amnesty (Index). SWX4542.

<4> Le Pard, G, 1995-2003, Dorset Coast Forum Maritime Archaeological Database, Shipwreck 19 (Digital archive). SWX8707.

<5> Shipwreck index of the British Isles, volume 1 : Isles of Scilly, Cornwall, Devon, Dorset Section 5, South Devon (AH) (Monograph). SWX4666.

<6> Hinchcliffe, J and V, 1999, Dive Dorset: a diver guide (3rd Edition) (Monograph). SWX1.

<7> Receiver of Wreck, Droit of the Receiver of Wreck A/2381 (Unpublished document). SWX506.

<8> Receiver of Wreck, 2009, Droit of the Receiver of Wreck 259/09 (Unpublished document). SDO20309.

<9> Miramar Ship Index www.miramarshipindex.org.nz, accessed on 10-DEC-2015 (Digital archive). SDO20161.

<10> National Record of the Historic Environment, 904648 (Digital archive). SDO14739.

Record last edited

Nov 20 2023 1:12PM