WreckfinderAmerican steamship · Sunk 21 March 1945
James Eagan Layne wreck
The James Eagan Layne is an American steamship wreck lying roughly 3 to 10 nautical miles off Plymouth in Plymouth and South East Cornwall. The top of the wreck is about 7 m down on a 17 m seabed. She sank on 21 March 1945. The exact GPS mark is in the Wreckfinder app.
- Top of wreck7 m
- Seabed17 m
- Nearest harbourPlymouth
Get the exact mark for the James Eagan Layne
The James Eagan Layne is one of 223 wrecks in Plymouth and South East Cornwall waters in the Wreckfinder app. Premium shows the exact GPS position to put in your chartplotter, plus your distance to it at sea.
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Are you fishing or diving the James Eagan Layne?
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Fishing the James Eagan Layne
What you might catch
- PollackAll year, best late summer to winter
- Conger eelAll year, best on summer nights and neap tides
- PoutingAll year
- BassSpring to autumn
- Ballan wrasseSpring to autumn
Typical for wrecks like this (draft, until we have catch reports). Caught something here? Tell us.
Tide and method
Tide: Shallow enough to fish more of the tide. Pollack and bass often feed hard as the tide starts to run.
Method: Drift over the wreck first to find where the fish are holding, then decide whether to anchor.
Report a catch
Fished the James Eagan Layne? Tell Dusty what you caught, when, and what worked. With your OK we'll add it to this page so other anglers know what's biting.
Diving the James Eagan Layne
The dive
The top of the wreck is about 7 m down on a 17 m seabed. That is within sport diving range for qualified, experienced divers.
Before you dive
- Anything you recover from a wreck must be reported to the Receiver of Wreck.
- Plan around slack water and check the weather. Skippers who know the wreck make all the difference.
History of the James Eagan Layne
A US Liberty ship built in 1944 in New Orleans. On 21 March 1945, in convoy from Barry to Ghent with machinery and general cargo, she was torpedoed by U-1195. She was taken in tow but settled on the bottom in Whitsand Bay. She is one of the best-known wreck dives in Britain.
| Type | American steamship |
|---|---|
| Sunk | 21 March 1945 |
| Tonnage | 7,176 tons gross |
| Beam | 17.4 m |
| Cargo | Machinery and mechanical parts, general and mixed goods |
| Top of wreck | 7 m |
| Seabed | 17 m |
| Area | Plymouth and South East Cornwall (nearest harbour Plymouth) |
Where is the James Eagan Layne wreck?
The James Eagan Layne lies roughly 3 to 10 nautical miles off Plymouth, in Plymouth and South East Cornwall. We don't publish exact positions on the website. The GPS mark is in the Wreckfinder app.
More Plymouth and South East Cornwall wrecks
Other wrecks in Plymouth and South East Cornwall
- HMS ScyllaBritish frigate, 2004
- HMS FoyleBritish destroyer, 1917
- MedocFrench steamship, 1940
- PersierBelgian steamship, 1945
James Eagan Layne wreck: questions
How deep is the James Eagan Layne wreck?
The top of the wreck is about 7 m down on a 17 m seabed.
Where is the James Eagan Layne wreck?
It lies roughly 3 to 10 nautical miles off Plymouth in Plymouth and South East Cornwall. The exact GPS position is in the Wreckfinder app.
Can you fish the James Eagan Layne?
Yes. Wrecks like this typically hold pollack, conger eel, pouting, bass. Drift over the wreck first to find where the fish are holding, then decide whether to anchor.
Can you dive the James Eagan Layne?
The top of the wreck is about 7 m down on a 17 m seabed. That is within sport diving range for qualified, experienced divers.
How do I get the GPS coordinates for the James Eagan Layne?
Download Wreckfinder, search for James Eagan Layne, and Premium shows the exact position to enter in your chartplotter.
Got a question about the James Eagan Layne?
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