Wreck of the Lancing

SHIP NOTES:
Source: Gentile, Gary, Shipwrecks of North Carolina: From the Diamond Shoals North, Gary Gentile Productions, 1993

Name: LANCING Type: Whaling Factory/Tanker

Date Sunk: 4/7/42 Cause: Torpedoed by U-552

Size (ft.): 470 x 57 x 31 Tonnage: 7866 tons

Propulsion: Oil-fired steam, triple expansion engine Location

CONSTRUCTION & MISCELLANEOUS NOTES:

The Lancing was noteworthy in that it was the first whaler/tanker outfitted with a stern ramp. Added in 1925, while the Lancing was under the ownership of Norwegian whaling interests, the stern ramp was considered a revolutionary advancement in whaling. The Lancing was previously named the Flackwell, Calanda, Omsk, Rio Tete and Knight Errant.

Source:Dunn, Laurence, The World's Tankers, Adlard Coles Limited, 1956.

On the deck of the Lancing, circa 1941. Courtesy of George Berg, Lancing crew member.

Rangvald Smervik, near the stern of the Lancing, looking across the whaling ramp to George Berg who was taking the photograph from the port side. The ship's pet dog, Tursa, is under Smervik's left arm. When the Lancing was torpedoed, Tursa brought 4 of her 5 puppies to the lifeboat, but failed to return with the fifth. Courtesy of George Berg, Lancing crew member.

DIVING NOTES:

Diving Depths: 140-160 ft.

Current:Slight to undiveable

Visibility: Highly variable and depending on the current

Summer Temperature: Generally mid to high 70s with some variance and thermocline depending on the currents

Points of Interest: Huge propeller and rudder and bow anchors

Fish/Animal Life: Deep enough for some very large red snapper plus the usual array of fish - both cold and warm water varieties - which occur around Cape Hatteras.

Description: The wreck is very large and sits nearly upside down with a slight lean to the port side of the wreck (the ships starboard side since it is upside down) Except for a swim-thru crack in the hull amidships, the hull section is largely intact. That fortunately makes the Lancing fairly straightforward to navigate despite its size and depth. The huge four bladed prop and rudder will take your breath away. There is nothing I have seen to match it.[circa 1995] ...still trying to back to this wreck, but the dive gods have not been kind.

PHOTOS:
Copyright © 1993, 1994, 1995 by Paul M. Hudy

Framing on the way to the stern Chris inspects the port side anchor

Prop and rudder Mast section on the way to the bow Mast and crows nest(?) John swims thru break & over boiler

Prop and rudder I Prop and rudder II Prop and rudder III Prop and rudder IV

Auxillary boiler Wreckage towards bow

Bottom Navigation Bar

SHIP NOTES: Source: Gentile, Gary, Shipwrecks of North Carolina: From the Diamond Shoals North, Gary Gentile Productions, 1993
Name: LANCING	Type: Whaling Factory/Tanker
Date Sunk: 4/7/42	Cause: Torpedoed by U-552
Size (ft.): 470 x 57 x 31	Tonnage: 7866 tons
Propulsion: Oil-fired steam, triple expansion engine	Location

CONSTRUCTION & MISCELLANEOUS NOTES:
The Lancing was noteworthy in that it was the first whaler/tanker outfitted with a stern ramp. Added in 1925, while the Lancing was under the ownership of Norwegian whaling interests, the stern ramp was considered a revolutionary advancement in whaling. The Lancing was previously named the Flackwell, Calanda, Omsk, Rio Tete and Knight Errant.
Source:Dunn, Laurence, The World's Tankers, Adlard Coles Limited, 1956.



On the deck of the Lancing, circa 1941. Courtesy of George Berg, Lancing crew member.

Rangvald Smervik, near the stern of the Lancing, looking across the whaling ramp to George Berg who was taking the photograph from the port side. The ship's pet dog, Tursa, is under Smervik's left arm. When the Lancing was torpedoed, Tursa brought 4 of her 5 puppies to the lifeboat, but failed to return with the fifth. Courtesy of George Berg, Lancing crew member.


DIVING NOTES:
Diving Depths: 140-160 ft.
Current:Slight to undiveable
Visibility: Highly variable and depending on the current
Summer Temperature: Generally mid to high 70s with some variance and thermocline depending on the currents
Points of Interest: Huge propeller and rudder and bow anchors
Fish/Animal Life: Deep enough for some very large red snapper plus the usual array of fish - both cold and warm water varieties - which occur around Cape Hatteras.
Description: The wreck is very large and sits nearly upside down with a slight lean to the port side of the wreck (the ships starboard side since it is upside down) Except for a swim-thru crack in the hull amidships, the hull section is largely intact. That fortunately makes the Lancing fairly straightforward to navigate despite its size and depth. The huge four bladed prop and rudder will take your breath away. There is nothing I have seen to match it.[circa 1995] ...still trying to back to this wreck, but the dive gods have not been kind.


PHOTOS: Copyright © 1993, 1994, 1995 by Paul M. Hudy

Framing on the way to the stern		Chris inspects the port side anchor

Prop and rudder	Mast section on the way to the bow	Mast and crows nest(?)	John swims thru break & over boiler

Prop and rudder I	Prop and rudder II	Prop and rudder III	Prop and rudder IV

Auxillary boiler		Wreckage towards bow