Thanks Max for a wonderful video that so skilfully intertwined the ship's history, her tragic loss and great images of the wreck today. Another tale of a ship's captain pushing his luck to the peril of all on board. Very sad.
Another excellent film of a piece of our maritime history. That piece of film of the Captain Cook Pilot vessel slugging through the seas, always makes me sad when I see pics of her in lieu of the fact she wasn't preserved. Back in my 20s I was a volunteer working on the steam tug Waratah down at Blackwattle Bay, in what is now the old Fish Markets. Great days they were with a brilliant band of guys restoring the old girl. I learnt many skills and when I see her on the harbour it makes me proud.
Yes, you have much to be proud of plus many enjoyable memories. The restoration of the Waratah was a great achievement that gave the Sydney Heritage Fleet the confidence to take on the authentic rebuilding of the Barque James Craig and SS John Oxley.
A really wonderful video. I was a boy at the time and the tragedy made a big impression on me. Even now the name "Birchgrove Park" has a sad and sinister ring to it.
I was born in Bulli, later lived in Newcastle and served in the RAN out of Sydney. In all that time I never learnt about the ships that lie at the bottom of the sea just off the coast of my stomping grounds. Indeed in the Navy I would have sailed over this wreck and many more that you have made videos about and routinely visited places like Nobbys, Catherine Hill Bay, Sandon Point etc. Great videos - very professional and exceptionally informative - great work please give me more.
Nice video of such a sad story, I've sailed that coast many times and putting to sea in such a small ship isn't easy , even more so if she wasn't sound .
Not sure about that. I did a number of phone interviews with him in 92/93 on the eve of the release of my book "The Vanished Fleet of the Sydney Coastline". I actually read out the chapter on the loss of the Birchy to him to make sure its contents were correct...His comments about singing songs out load and the attack of the sea birds...... very descriptive.
Sydney northern beaches where I grew up have dived on this wreck off whale beach decades ago cant see why they thought it was off off long reef (Collaroy/Narrabeen) but those where different times I guess. but yes diving in the Hawkesbury or at its mouth is at times zero visibility and a black out including tidal inflow or egress from memory , most of my dives there where following anchored buoys to the bottom sometimes in total darkness, gained my PADI cert on those dives and yes it was on tri mix and a very slow accent with decom stops.
Thanks Max for a wonderful video that so skilfully intertwined the ship's history, her tragic loss and great images of the wreck today. Another tale of a ship's captain pushing his luck to the peril of all on board. Very sad.
Possibly pressure from the company to keep to a time table.
Nicely done - thanks!
Glad you liked it!
Another excellent film of a piece of our maritime history.
That piece of film of the Captain Cook Pilot vessel slugging through the seas, always makes me sad when I see pics of her in lieu of the fact she wasn't preserved.
Back in my 20s I was a volunteer working on the steam tug Waratah down at Blackwattle Bay, in what is now the old Fish Markets. Great days they were with a brilliant band of guys restoring the old girl. I learnt many skills and when I see her on the harbour it makes me proud.
Yes what a great project that would have been
Yes, you have much to be proud of plus many enjoyable memories. The restoration of the Waratah was a great achievement that gave the Sydney Heritage Fleet the confidence to take on the authentic rebuilding of the Barque James Craig and SS John Oxley.
Amazing stuff Max
Thanks for the feed back Man
Well researched. Great storytelling.
Glad you enjoyed it.. Thanks you
This was a great video of a tragic sinking.
The captain knew that it was a dangerous rust bucket. 😮
It appears they all did
Very nice video/doc! Nicely narrated, great imaging/video, educational, recommended. thank you from Arizona, USA
The wonders of the internet, all the way to the USA. Thanks for the feed back
Excellent work but very tragic
Thank you
A really wonderful video. I was a boy at the time and the tragedy made a big impression on me. Even now the name "Birchgrove Park" has a sad and sinister ring to it.
Thank you for your input.
I was born in Bulli, later lived in Newcastle and served in the RAN out of Sydney. In all that time I never learnt about the ships that lie at the bottom of the sea just off the coast of my stomping grounds. Indeed in the Navy I would have sailed over this wreck and many more that you have made videos about and routinely visited places like Nobbys, Catherine Hill Bay, Sandon Point etc.
Great videos - very professional and exceptionally informative - great work please give me more.
Glad you liked the presentation. There are a number of other NSW wrecks on my channel and more will be added over time. Thanks max
Thanks Max for posting these vids, Amazing work, I dived the Birchgrove many years ago but the viz was pretty ordinary thz again
Thanks David. It's a real hit and miss on this wreck as far as vis is concerned and all the others in Sydney.
These Historical Videos are awesome. You should do more. Does anyone know if I can buy or download these somewhere?
Nice video of such a sad story, I've sailed that coast many times and putting to sea in such a small ship isn't easy , even more so if she wasn't sound .
I feel so sad for the man’s poor wife and unborn then child who would never know it’s father
😢😢
This is an incredible video cheers max
Yes indeed.
Another great video, and i have the book on 60 milers , will have to reread, another lost ship was the Minmi but you cant dive her
But you can still see Minmi on the shore. Thanks for there feed back
These are great mate! Any chance of some footage of the Valiant?
Sorry, dived it many years ago but it was well before my video days
@@shipwrecksoftheworld878 fair enough mate, will just have to go again! 😊
If memory serves me correctly…Ken Fabian was a foreman on the Sydney waterfront.I remember his face.
Not sure about that. I did a number of phone interviews with him in 92/93 on the eve of the release of my book "The Vanished Fleet of the Sydney Coastline". I actually read out the chapter on the loss of the Birchy to him to make sure its contents were correct...His comments about singing songs out load and the attack of the sea birds...... very descriptive.
Sydney northern beaches where I grew up have dived on this wreck off whale beach decades ago cant see why they thought it was off off long reef (Collaroy/Narrabeen) but those where different times I guess. but yes diving in the Hawkesbury or at its mouth is at times zero visibility and a black out including tidal inflow or egress from memory , most of my dives there where following anchored buoys to the bottom sometimes in total darkness, gained my PADI cert on those dives and yes it was on tri mix and a very slow accent with decom stops.