SS ''Varvassi'' is a wrecked ship just off

the Needles The Needles are a row of three stacks of chalk that rise about out of the sea off the western extremity of the Isle of Wight in the English Channel, United Kingdom, close to Alum Bay and Scratchell's Bay, and part of Totland, the weste ...

lighthouse A lighthouse is a tower, building, or other type of physical structure designed to emit light from a system of lamps and lens (optics), lenses and to serve as a beacon for navigational aid for maritime pilots at sea or on inland waterways. Ligh ...

, which is at the western end of the

Isle of Wight The Isle of Wight (Help:IPA/English, /waɪt/ Help:Pronunciation respelling key, ''WYTE'') is an island off the south coast of England which, together with its surrounding uninhabited islets and Skerry, skerries, is also a ceremonial county. T ...

. The ship crashed about 150 metres west of the lighthouse. The Isle of Wight is off the South coast of England, near

Southampton Southampton is a port City status in the United Kingdom, city and unitary authority in Hampshire, England. It is located approximately southwest of London, west of Portsmouth, and southeast of Salisbury. Southampton had a population of 253, ...

. ''Varvassi'' was a 3,875-ton Greek merchant

steamship A steamship, often referred to as a steamer, is a type of steam-powered vessel, typically ocean-faring and seaworthy, that is propelled by one or more steam engines that typically move (turn) propellers or paddlewheels. The first steamships ...

that was wrecked on the Needles rocks in 1947. It was carrying a cargo of

tangerine The tangerine is a type of citrus fruit that is orange in colour, that is considered either a variety of the mandarin orange (''Citrus reticulata''), or a closely related species, under the name ''Citrus tangerina'', or yet as a hybrid (''Citr ...

s from Algiers to Southampton. The ship became wrecked after an engine failure in stormy weather, and drifted onto the rocks. When an attempt was made to haul the ship off the rocks, she flooded and sank. All 36 crew were rescued unharmed, as was approximately one third of the cargo of tangerines and wine. There are still remains of the wreck lying just below the surface. Some parts of the wreck can be seen at very low tides. The wreck constitutes a hazard to small craft that attempt to sail too close to the lighthouse. Any race around the Island has to face the obstacle of the ''Varvassi'' wreck site. Yacht racers see the passage between ''Varvassi'' and Goose Rock as a shortcut, many however miscalculate this. On 20 July 2023, the UK registered motor vessel ''Channel Queen'' grounded as it passed over the ''Varvassi'' wreck near the Needles lighthouse, Isle of Wight, England while escorting a relay swim event around the island. ''Channel Queen'' was then deliberately beached in nearby Scratchell's Bay. ''Channel Queen'' was a total loss, and some on board suffered minor injuries.

References

External links

* Shipwrecks in the English Channel Shipwrecks of the Needles Wreck diving sites in England Maritime incidents in 1947 Steamships of Greece 1914 ships {{ship-stub