Shipwrecks of the Forth and Tay

Author Bob Baird took up diving as a hobby thirty years ago and his interest has developed over the years focusing mainly on wrecks in Scottish waters. He published his first book

Shipwrecks of the Forth

back in 1993. Since then his wreck database has grown to include wrecks in expanded to include most of the coast of Scotland. Other books he has written include

Shipwrecks of the West

of Scotland published in 1995 and

Shipwrecks of the North of Scotland

published in 2003.

Shipwrecks of the Forth and Tay, published this year is a revised and updated edition incorporating knowledge the author has gathered 15 years after publishing his first book Shipwrecks of the Forth.

The book includes a piece on GPS positions of wrecks because the author’s first three books were all written using Admiralty charts and wreck positions according to the previous OSGB 36 datum, prior to the introduction of WGS84 datum used in his new book.

It then focuses upon different areas around the Forth and Tay and talks about wrecks that can be found within the locality plotting their location to a local map of the seabed. For example, the chapter on shipwrecks of the Tay and Arbroath features everything from U-Boats to coasters and steam trawlers.

The book has a comprehensive vessel at the back where ship wrecks are listed by name with details about their location on the seabed.

For readers with an interest in diving and maritime history, this book also makes good reading which can make wreck diving all the more enjoyable, it demonstrates that shipwrecks are not just underwater scrapyards!