Various other publications contradict the Hydrographic offices naming of the Laurium, as the wreck specified in the above position, naming it to be that of the Moonlight. At this point things start to become rather complicated, a case of right name, wrong vessel. In present publications that list the site as that of the Moonlight, she is specified as being 126ft long, built by Backhouse and Dixon, along with circumstances and date of loss being recorded as that of which is now believed to be the true Moonlight, a 66ft Clyde Puffer.
On diving the site, the length of the wreck showed itself to be no more than 60 - 70ft from bow to stern, this now disproving the claim that the site is that of the Backhouse and Dixon built Moonlight. The evidence given showed we were looking for a very small vessel, steam driven and machinery aft. After extensive investigations it is now believed this site is to be that of the Clyde built puffer Moonlight as described at the head of this page.
Owners and registration
First owner ... 1871 Ross & Marshall, Greenock
1878 ... Daniel R Gaff, Greenock
1882 ... James Glove, Paisley
1890 ... Charles Lindsay, Dundee
1891 ... William Taylor, Grangemouth
1892 ... Robert Murray, Hull
1892 ... Joseph Harvey, Lincs
1897 ... Rehoboth Robinson, Lincs
A plotted history of the Moonlight's misadventures
On January the 7th 1877 the Moonlight stranded at Ardlamont Bay. She was later salvaged and put back into service. On the 29th March 1879 and loaded with a cargo of 75 tons of coal she left Ardrossan bound for Kirn in Argyll . No sooner had the Moonlight departed than she foundered near Horse Island just off the entrance to Ardrossan Harbour, once again she was salvaged and repaired. Reports at the time stated that the Moonlights owner put blame on the Master for overloading the vessel and proceeding to go to sea in tempestuous weather. On July 15th 1881, once again the Moonlight found herself in trouble, this time running aground at Tighnbruaich in the Kyles of Bute. The official report on the day stated that it was feared that she would be a total wreck but on the 22nd it was reported that she had been got off.
Sadly for the Moonlight her luck was to run out on the 22nd December 1897. Whilst on passage from Boston (Lincs) to Hull in Ballast she hit a submerged object and sank.
The Moonlight today
The Moonlight makes for a very pleasant dive, at only 66ft long and at a depth of 20mtrs there is plenty of time to explore this picturesque wreck. For the most part she stands no more than a metre clear of the seabed, her small drum type boiler being her highest point at 3mtrs. Starting at the stern you will find her small single prop, this being no more than 1.5mtrs in diameter. From here there is a short distane to her 2 cylinder compound engine, here you will also find her single drum type boiler, along with various associated boiler room pipework. A short fin from the boilers will bring you to the bows, here you will find a mass of anchor chain, this giving refuge to Juvenile crabs and lobsters. For the most part the Moonlight is jumble of collapsed plates and frames, this said, she is well worth a visit.
Below ... The Clyde Puffer Moonlight as she is today.