Apra harbor on the Pacific Ocean island of Guam is known for it's variety of marine activity including wreck diving.
There are Guam - New York connections to three passenger ships of the past and the present. On Friday, February 27, QUEEN ELIZABETH 2, currently on her annual World Cruise, is scheduled to arrive at Apra, Guam. During the call there some of her passengers will no doubt partake of the sport of diving to the many wrecks strewn across the ocean floor. The remaining wreckage of two passenger ships of the past should interest those maritime enthusiasts on board the liner.

QUEEN ELIZABETH 2 at an island berth during a cruise.

One of the sites contains the wreck of the last Cunard paddle steamer, the SCOTIA of 1862. This 4,000 gross ton, 400 foot long ship was one of the largest and fastest passenger ships in the world when she entered Trans-Atlantic service for Cunard Line in May 1862. She operated in the trade between Liverpool and New York until 1875 when she was laid up. In 1878 SCOTIA was sold and became a cable laying ship operating in various parts of the world, sailing under her original name.

Drawing of SCOTIA courtesy of the artist Jim Karvelas.

In March 1904, SCOTIA, then sailing for 44 years, was involved in delivering cable and spares to Manila, Guam and Honolulu. As she was approaching the entrance to the harbor at Apra, Guam she went off course. Misjudging the exact entrance to the harbor SCOTIA went hard aground on a nearby reef. Weather conditions deteriorated over the next several days and the ship broke in two and sank.
The wreck is now a popular diving location.

The remaining wreckage of another famous Cunard passenger liner is also at Guam. The other site is what is left of the R.M.S. CARONIA, the famous "Green Godess", and World Cruise liner that operated for Cunard Line between 1949 and 1967. This 34,000 groos ton 715 foot long passenger ship was a regular caller at the port of New York. CARONIA sailed the world's oceans on her many very popular cruises. The ship was retired in November 1967 and sold the following year to a company that intended to use her as a Caribbean cruise ship under the name CARIBIA. The venture failed and the liner remained out of service at several locations in the port of New York, even being arrested at one point. The former CARONIA was sold to be broken up at Taiwan and departed from New York, under tow, in April 1974. In August of that year while nearing Guam she attempted to seek safety from a Pacific typhoon by entering Apra harbor. The tow line parted and lashed by high winds and heavy seas CARONIA headed for the breakwater at the harbor entrance and was smashed against the rocks and broke into three sections. Most of her wreckage was scrapped.

A view of R.M.S. CARONIA on her sea trials in 1948.

As QUEEN ELIZABETH 2 sails into Apra harbor on February 27 it is probably fitting to remember two of her maritime ancestors. March 11 will be the 100th anniversary of the wrecking of SCOTIA and April 27 will be the 30th anniversary of the final departure of CARONIA from New York.

(Photographs from the authors collection.)