Books Happy Fish Publications & interests of Tom Bennett
Barafundle Wreck
In January 2019 pieces of wreckage showed up on the beach when sand levels were low. Sand levels were lower in 1985 when I measured and studied the wooden hull, capstan and one bow anchor then to be seen. I concluded it was a heavily built collier of the type built in Newport Pembrokeshire around 1850. Looking through my records I now am convinced it is the schooner ENTERPRISE built at Llansantffraid, south of Aberystwyth in 1830. With just 3 on board the schooner was caught out in a strong ESE force 6. Dublin registered she was taking coal from Swansea to New Ross. I assume an all Irish crew, no lives were lost but vessel totally wrecked on 21 December 1907.
I originally thought it may be a Bangor schooner named the FOYLE PACKET. Coflein CADW has mapped it as the smack FANNY, but I think it should now be identified as the ENTERPRISE, the Irish schooner built in Wales (registered ship no. 16441)
Wooden windlass shaft and gear, remnants of the ENTERPRISE on Barafundle beach in 2019.
Shipwrecks for Walkers, HappyFish Publications
Wales SA73 2DX happyfish42@hotmail.com
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Tom with his yacht in 2006. The picture is taken in Greece just after sailing from the Philippines. If you fancy some quality time sailing this 44 foot ketch now namedMonty B you can now do so in Montenegro, book with montegro4sail.com
About the Author
Tom, once a man of the sea with a salty beard he is now an expired explorer, with plenty of memories and long white hair. Tom has spent a lifetime, researching, locating and identifying shipwrecks. He has written over a dozen books about shipwrecks. A professional dive boat skipper in Myanmar, a yacht race skipper in Thailand, and an RYA Sailing Instructor in UK, he once spent five years continously afloat on cruising yachts. Tom has dived in ten different countries and sailed cruising yachts through icebergs in the Arctic, sand cays in the Great Barrier Reef, Panama Canal both ways and the Suez Canal. His SEA GUIDE TO PEMBROKESHIRE is regarded as the best pilot book on West Wales and his Cruising Guide to Philippines, one of the most comprehensive ever printed. During 2018 two new books, MARITME HISTORY OF NEWPORT PEMBROKESHIRE and TY GWYN AND THE BRONZE BELL WRECK. In 2019
DOLLAR SHIP OF SOUTH WALES.
In 2019, Tom, growing a long white beard, started writing books about the Neolithic in Pembrokeshire. His prime interest is now researching Neolithic sea trading of St George's Channel.
If you can help on any evidence then please contact him.