Jack Sound is a treacherous body of water[1] between the island of Skomer and the Pembrokeshire coast in west Wales. It is popular with divers.[2]

Nautical chart of Jack Sound, 1878
rocks

Description

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The 800 metres (2,600 ft) wide sound is used by boats to avoid a three-mile detour around the island, but it contains numerous reefs and a tidal race of up to 6 knot (unit)s which consequently has resulted in numerous wrecks.[3]

The sound is part of the Skomer Marine Conservation Zone.[4]

Recorded wrecks

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The most popular wreck for divers is the MV Lucy, which sank in good condition in February 1967 after being abandoned by its crew owing to its cargo of calcium carbide. The Netherlands-registered coaster, 52 metres (171 ft), was en route from Uddevalla, Sweden to Barry.[2][5][6][7]

Coflein, the Royal Commission's website records 32 wrecks associated with Jack Sound.[8] One of these was the passenger ship Albion which struck rocks on passage through Jack Sound and was forced to beach further along the coast, where she remains.[9]

References

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  1. ^ "Jack Sound". Dive Magazine. Archived from the original on 26 July 2007. Retrieved 19 January 2019.
  2. ^ a b "Visit Pembrokeshire: Scuba Diving". Retrieved 4 August 2024.
  3. ^ Low Carbon Lifestyle Tour Archived 27 July 2008 at the Wayback Machine
  4. ^ "Countryside Council for Wales: Skomer Island". Archived from the original on 26 April 2015. Retrieved 19 January 2019.
  5. ^ "Diving MV Lucy". Divernet.com. 14 February 1967. Retrieved 27 April 2010.
  6. ^ "Lucy Wreck". Dive-pembrokeshire.com. Retrieved 27 April 2010.
  7. ^ "Divetheworld: MV Lucy". Retrieved 19 January 2019.
  8. ^ https://coflein.gov.uk/en/search?term=Jack%20Sound [bare URL]
  9. ^ "Albion (272842)". Coflein. RCAHMW. Retrieved 6 August 2024.

51°44′06″N 5°15′32″W / 51.735°N 5.259°W / 51.735; -5.259