The German shipwreck from WW1 that's been uncovered by storms in Cornwall

German shipwreck in Cornwall
It is believed the SV Carl was built in 1893. Credit: BPM Media

A German shipwreck dating back more than 100 years has been uncovered by stormy weather on a beach in Cornwall.

It has been more than a century since the SV Carl became stranded on a reef while being towed by the Royal Navy.

The ship was built in Maryport, Cumbria, in 1893 and then later registered in Hamburg.

In 1914, at the start of World War One, the vessel was confiscated because it was a German ship in Cardiff docks.

The ship was being towed to London in 1917 to be broken up for scrap when a fierce storm hit and it ended up breaking free and running aground on a reef at Booby's Bay near Padstow.

The shipwreck is often exposed in winter, as the sand is washed away by storms, but it quickly disappears as the bay is filled back in again.

This weekend saw the ship become more visible than it has been since 2014, with the 60ft steel-hull emerging from the sand.

The last time this much of the shipwreck was visible was in the winter of 2014. Credit: BPM Media
Holidaymaker Tim Deane began clearing a layer of sand from the wood. Credit: BPM Media
Beach-goers have been intrigued by the structure as it almost looks like the skeleton of a huge whale. Credit: BPM Media

  • Anyone wishing to see the remains of SV Carl at Booby's Bay should check tide times before going, as the beach is completely covered at high tide.