Hadda 1877
GPS: S 28° 28.320' E 115° 47.548’
Location: Beacon Island
Abrolhos Islands
Site depth: 5 metres
Divable conditions: 1.5m swell
Visibilty: 15 metres
Vessel: 3 masted Barque
Construction: Timber
Tons: 334tons
Wreck event: Went aground
The Hadda sailed from the Lacepede Islands north of Broome on the 12th of April in 1877 carrying a load of guano bound for Fremantle when the 334 ton wooden barque struck reef only a few hundred metres from Beacon Island in the Wallabi Group of the Abrolhos Islands on the 30th of the same month. The captain of the vessel was intending to steer the Hadda towards the east of the Abrolhos through the Geelvink Channel between the islands and the mainland. A court of enquiry found that the captain was not at fault and was likely pushed further west by uncharted currents. The Hadda struck bow first into the northern shelf of the reef and was hard aground. The crew abandoned the vessel and were able to sail the ships boat to Geraldton, the Hadda was likely salvaged to some extent as anchors and deck machinery are not evident at the wreck site.
The site of the Hadda is easily accessible and well protected from most weather, it is only exposed to weather the north. Nearby the site there is also a convienient sand patch for anchoring your vessel without disturbing the abundant coral gardens found in the area. Being a timber vessel not much remains of the wreck except numerous iron knees that supported the decks, a few ships fittings and hull sheathing. As mentioned above anchors and deck machinery dont seem to be present on the site or any indication of masts or rigging but the abundant corals and the location being a sanctuary zone make the site an impressive dive.