AH-WR-1268

Taunton

Cargo Steamer · Norway · Lost 1920 · Bermuda

A Danish-built coal steamer that ran aground on Bermuda's North East Breakers in fog in 1920, now a shallow, photogenic dive.

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Artistic recreation based on recorded historical documents. See the documented evidence.

Historically Reconstructed. Drawn from partial documentation of this vessel together with her known class and configuration. See the documented evidence.

The Vessel and Her Loss

Built in Copenhagen in 1902 and later sailing under the Norwegian flag, the Taunton was carrying coal from Norfolk, Virginia, to St. George's, Bermuda, when she encountered dense fog at the entrance to the island's northern passage. Despite a posted lookout, she ran aground on the North East Breaker reef on November 24, 1920. Her bow, engine and boilers remain visible today in shallow water, making her one of Bermuda's most accessible wreck dives.

Vessel

Built: 1902
Builder: Burmeister & Wain
Yard: Copenhagen, Denmark
Material: Steel
Length: 228 ft
Beam: Not established
Tonnage: Not established
Propulsion: Steam, triple-expansion engine, single screw
Owners: Not established

Loss

Date: November 24, 1920
Cause: Grounding
Location: North East Breaker reef, Bermuda
Water: Atlantic Ocean, Bermuda reef platform
Voyage: Norfolk, Virginia → St. George's, Bermuda
Cargo: Coal
Aboard: Not established
Lives lost: Sources reviewed do not report casualties.
Master: Not established

The Wreck Today

Depth: 10-40
Condition: Bow, steam engine and boilers still visible; bow comes within about 10 feet of the surface.
Orientation: Not established
Discovered: Not established
Protection: Not established