The Greek cargo ship S.S. Varvassi ‒ conveying 438 barrels of wine and 200 tons of tangerines from Algiers to Southampton ‒ hit The Needles on 5th January 1947.
As well as the wine and tangerines, the ship was also carrying 7 heifers and a cargo of iron ore.
As the pilot cutter made her way to the Varvassi, her crew noticed the Greek freighter was steaming in the wrong direction. They tried to signal to the vessel to change course with flashing lights and sirens at full blast, but the Varvassi ignored warnings and sailed on to her untimely end.
The Greek ship struck the rocks and became wedged between them. However, she was still upright, so there was no immediate danger to her 36 crew.
The Yarmouth RNLI Lifeboat was launched, but the Captain of the Varvassi decided he didn’t need any help, hoping to re-float the ship on the next tide.
A salvage company then came on board, and the weather began to worsen. As a gale began pounding the stricken vessel, the Yarmouth Lifeboat crew prepared themselves for another trip to the Varvassi, which was now grinding her bottom against the jagged rocks.
At 19:15, the lifeboat was back at the side of the Varvassi. The captain tried to re-float her but by 21:00, it was obvious that nothing further could be done that night. The lifeboat returned to Yarmouth.
At 06:15 the following day, the weary lifeboat crew were again summoned to the Varvassi as its crew now wanted to abandon ship due to the dangerous condition of the vessel. The seas were breaking all over the top of the vessel, and she was making water fast.
The lifeboatmen took off the Varvassi crew in treacherous conditions and transferred them to Yarmouth Harbour, where they were given shelter in The King’s Head. Here, they were looked after by the Shipwrecked Mariners Society, who provided them with a change of clothing. The ship’s black-and-white cat was placed in the care of the landlord.
It wasn’t before the following Wednesday that it was possible to board again. The heifers, being of foreign stock, could not be brought ashore and were slaughtered and dumped over the side.
On 21st January 1947, the Varvassi was declared a total wreck. Now comes the interesting part of the story…
Following the break up of the vessel, a large number of wine barrels began to be seen floating up the Solent together with crates of tangerines. Some were picked up by fishing boats, others landed on the shore. Island beaches were littered with driftwood, tangerines and barrels of wine.
It had apparently been difficult to place a ship’s keeper on board due to the heavy swell and therefore the security of cargo was open to the elements. However, some of the barrels were bought by the local brewer Mew Langtons.
The unintended donation of tangerines and wine to Island beachcombers was not the last to be heard of the Varvassi. It has now become a hazard to shipping around The Needles.
In 1973, a fishing boat hit the wreck of the Varvassi. A yacht ‒ the Alchemist ‒ also struck the sunken freighter during the Round Island Race in 2016, and her crew had to be rescued by the Lymington RNLI.
Below: Lymington Lifeboat volunteers rescue the crew of the Alchemist.
The Varvassi lies close to the surface of the water close to The Needles lighthouse. It is still possible to stand on the vessel’s boilers at low tide.
A very interesting item
My uncle Gerry Jackson at the top of the ladder