The Evening Telegraph, 29 September, 1911.
A YONGALA THEORY.
Captain Colin Thompson, of Cooktown,
arrived last week by the Matunga from
Papua (says the Cairns "Post.,") He sailed
the Schooner Annie from Maryborough to
Samurai, via Cooktown consigned to
Messrs. Clunn and Sons, to be used as
a storeship for the firm and a lighter for
oversea steamers - Captain Thompson
reports that in passing Cape Bowling
Green, between 7 and 8 miles from the
Cape he observed a "greasy" streak on
the water, about the length of a large
steamer. A small rip-tide was flowing.
There was about 16 fathoms (30 m)
of water and the sea was very smooth,
but as it was about 6 p.m., and darkness
was setting in he was unable to make
any search and proceeded on his voyage
north. Captain Thompson thinks he
passed at the spot mentioned the
place where the Yongala lies. If so,
she is right in the track of the big
steamers.
Extraordinary!!
Yongala lies in 30 m = 16 fathoms, off Cape Bowling Green, a little further out than quoted, but within the 'track of the big steamers' referenced by an experienced mariner of the time.
The importance of an oil patch marking the final resting place of steamers cannot be over- emphasised.
This bodes well for searches for the lost Koombana - see:
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| courtesy Google Earth |
An oil patch was used to localise the position of the sunken Clan Ranald:
https://waratahrevisited.blogspot.com/2016/03/clan-ranald-fascinating-account-and.html
"direct me to the spot where the wreck was sunk,
which he said he knew exactly, having seen
streams of oil rising from her."
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| courtesy: http://www.bandcstaffregister.com/page4487.html |
courtesy Trove.
