The Kingston Wreck

The Kingston was a British cargo ship built in 1871 in Sunderland by Oswald Shipbuilding Co. On 28 January 1881, she left Cardiff for Aden with a cargo of coal. The captain miscalculated the ship's position, believed he had left the Gulf of Suez and retired, and on 22 February 1881 the ship ran aground on Shag Rock. The Kingston sank slowly by the stern against the reef; on the second day the crew took to the boats and she went under, leaving her bows and masts above the water. There were no casualties, as the whole crew was safely evacuated, and the ship was declared a total loss on 28 February 1881.

Captain Cousins was judged negligent and his Master's Certificate was suspended for six months. In October 1881, he took command of the Harvest and ran her aground three times.

Underwater, the cargo of coal is still in place, and at the stern the propeller and rudder are intact. A spare propeller, boilers and a condenser amidships can also be seen. The hull is covered in coral and attracts plenty of fish, and it is not rare to see turtles or pelagic fish swimming by. The wreck can be dived all year round.