I find the cable ship Behar atypical in that most of the interesting wreckage is close to the keel (south) side of the wreck as opposed to the deck (north) side I would usually find more interesting.I find the cable ship Behar atypical in that most of the interesting wreckage is close to the keel (south) side of the wreck as opposed to the deck (north) side I would usually find more interesting.
The cruiser stern is more intact and has fallen to port. On the upper starboard side, a large square hole in the hull provides easy access inside amongst the steering gear, with exits forwards through the break or up through a hatch in the deck. A partly intact railing protects the edge of the stern deck, with a few pollack patrolling above.
The remains of a deck house above the stern and a sturdy post are actually the base of a small gun mount. The barrel and breech have been salvaged, so all that remains at the top are a pair of trunions.
Just forward of the stern, a second gun mount in similar condition rests upright on a deck plate. In the intervening space a large box structure of springs and rods is tilted forwards on its base plate. My best guess is that this was part of the cable handling equipment.
Working forwards from the gun mount, a mountain of tangled cable is piled across what would have been one of the holds.
Back towards the prop shaft and close to where it breaks is a swim through made of hull plates resting across more of the steel buoys and the mountain of cable. Although not an original structure of the wreck, it is a relatively easy and safe tunnel about 7 or 8 metres long with no constrictions.
The swim through pops out almost on top of the prop shaft again. The forward end of the prop shaft ends at an unusual engine. First are the remains of a thrust bearing and broken open turbine followed by a 4 cylinder steam engine, neatly laid out across the wreck to port.
From the front of the engine, the shadow of a large section of wreck should be visible forward and to starboard. On the way to this I am unable to identify the original purpose of a steel box with round holes cut in the faces.
It is surprising to find amongst such a broken up wreck a big intact section of hull. On the corner nearest the engine hangs a chain with metal blocks, clanging against the steel beams.
The outer wall of this section, that would have been the starboard side of the hull, is intact. The less robust inner walls are now a partially open lattice of upright ribs. Considering its location just forward of the engines, I suspect this sole upright section of the hull was once a fuel tank.
The Behar is listed as having five boilers, but only one remains. Others have been broken and salvaged, evidence of their location being the curved flanges they would have rested on.
Debris from the bows is now well in amongst the rocks, the bows wedged along a gully and fallen to port, so that the starboard side is now pretty much level. In shallow sunny water this is a natural pecking ground for ballan wrasse. It is possible to swim beneath and inside the bow, with the anchor hawse pipes crossed over one another.
There are no signs of anchors, chain or anchor winch. With the ship run aground and the bow well out of the water, these would have been easy to salvage.