Katinka
GPS: S 34° 12.318'
E 115° 02.220'
Location: Hamelin Bay
Site depth: 5 metres
Divable conditions: <1.0m swell
Visibilty: 2-10 metres
Vessel: Sailing Barque
Construction: Iron
Tons: 805
Vessel length: 60 metres
Wreck event: Grounded 1900
Probably the most impressive wreck of the Hamelin Bay wreck sites, the Katinka was lost as an intense winter storm front swept across the bay with wind gusts reportedly reaching 85 knots. After the passing northwest front, the wind had swung south west with such force that the Katinka dragged her anchor as well as the timber company's mooring almost a kilometre and went aground about a mile north of the Hamelin Bay jetty. The company mooring consisted of 360 metres of chain attached to three anchors each weighing two ton each, such was the force of the wind that day. A number of sailors lost their lives in the wrecking event, one was swept overboard as the vessel was hit by the swell and more drowned including the first mate, while trying to swim to the safety of the nearby shore.
The Katinka site is the furthest north known wreck in Hamelin Bay. It sits just over one nautical mile north from the boat launching ramp and is almost 150 metres off the beach. Being an iron wreck it is the most attractive and substantial wreck site in the bay with a large amount of iron wreckage and timber cargo still on the site. Most of the site has collapsed and flattened out on the surrounding seafloor but the bow, stern, masts and features of the wreck are still easily recognisable. The site sits in 5 metres of water surrounded by sand, anchoring is easy next to the wreck and the site is easily located from the surface. Being the northern most site it is less protected by the swell and like the other wrecks, the surrounding sand stirs up very easily as the swell rolls through.
* Like all sites older than 75 years it is fully protected from interference under the historic shipwrecks act.