Kaffir Wreck

Just off the coast at Ayr, there’s this wreck that attracts photographers. It wouldn’t attract anyone else. A combination of good weather, sundown and a low tide that reveals more of the wreckage can bring them out.

This wreck of the SS Kaffir is best viewed from the ugliest beach I’ve ever visited. Just North of Ayr harbour, the beach is littered with industrial debris of concrete blocks, broken brickwork and old redundant drainage pipes. No easy walking here.

The story of this Clyde puffer is that back in 1974, a new ship’s engineer turned up at the wrong public house thus failing to meet the captain of the Kaffir. Thus left to his own devices, he got himself drunk and somewhat irate at his ‘abandonment’ by the rest of the crew. So he went over to the ship in Ayr Harbour and set sail on his own. His inebriation further impaired his judgement such that he rounded the end of the harbour wall and duly beached the vessel where it sits to this day – 51 years later. As he took the vessel without permission he was charged with theft, found guilty and given a jail sentence.

It does make a nice picture.

You can read more about this by following this link – well worth a read.