What happened to The Pasages?

A Shipwreck…on Land?

When the tide goes out on Jurby Beach, on the Isle of Man’s North-West coast, it reveals a hidden treasure: the wreck of The Pasages, a heron fishing trawler that ran aground on the soft Manx sands in 1931.

It’s a fascinating sight, and well worth the effort of walking across the soft sand to reach. However, be warned – other sources claim it’s only a half mile walk along the beach from the nearest parking-point. Those writers must be thinking of a little cluster of rocks that look they might be part of a boat. But the Pasages is a good way beyond those rocks. The walk takes at least twenty minutes, so is approximately between a mile and a mile and a half.

As the wreck comes into sight, you might be forgiven for thinking, ‘I came all this way for this?’ But that’s because the wreck is unimpressive when you see it from the north. Walk around it, though, finding footholds on little hillocks of sand between slippery rocks and water rivulets still running into the sea. Now, looking from south to north, you have an amazing view of a genuine piece of maritime history.

Stormy Weather

The Pasages / Passages (there’s some debate about the spelling) was a steam trawler commissioned as a minesweeper in 1917 by the Royal Canadian Navy. After the war, it was converted to a fishing trawler.

In 1931, it sailed from Northern Ireland to Fleetwood with a haul of fish, but hit bad weather and ran aground in Jurby. Unable to back it off the sands, Captain William James sent up a distress flare. The signal was answered by lifeguards in Ramsey, the largest nearby town. Luckily, the thirteen man crew was saved, but The Pasages was a write-off. It remains on the sand to this day, encrusted in barnacles and only visible every low tide.

Once you do see it from the south, you realise it was fairly large, and can easily understand how it had to be crewed by thirteen sailors.

The Pasages is off the beaten track, but if you can time your visit with low tide, it’s worth a visit. For non-divers in particular, it’s a rare chance to see a genuine shipwreck.

GETTING THERE

First, check for Jurby tide times and weather so you can time your visit with low tide.

It’s a lovely drive. From Douglas, take the mountain road, turning left on the mountain road just before Snaefell. That road winds down past a reservoir and has several cattle grids. Not that they managed to stop the sheep trotting merrily along the road when I drove there, so watch out!

Eventually, you’ll drive through Sulby and past Jurby Transport museum at the old airfield. Keep going until you reach the Sartfield Water Treatment at the end of the road. Parking is minimal. There are only a few spots by the treatment plant, but Jurby Beach is rarely busy.

Walk down the side of the water treatment plant towards the pipes that run down to the sea,a nd then turn left, heading south for the shipwreck. You’ll have to go round the first curve of the headland, and don’t be fooled by that little cluster of black rocks in the soft sand.

Travelling time: The drive takes about 35 minutes from Douglas, and walking from the car took me about 20 – 25 minutes.

FAQ

Why was it called The Pasages?

There’s some debate, but the name, with a single ‘s,’ was cited as being inspired by the fishing port of Pasaia in Spain’s Basque region.

Why was it left on the sand?

Any chance to salvage The Pasages in the days after it was stranded was lost with the continued poor weather that grounded the vessel in the first place. By the time the weather calmed, the boat was too battered by the relentless pounding of the waves.

Is it safe to visit?

Yes, just make sure you go during low tide.