Not so long ago, this coastline was at the centre of a thriving and noisy maritime industry. Cargo ships travelled into and out of the busy ports of Sunderland and Newcastle, from the early timber vessels, to later iron and steel built ships.
With all this activity on the rivers and at the coast, not even the bright lights of Souter lighthouse could keep all the ships away from the dangerous rocks and notorious currents of Whitburn Steel, particularly in bad weather and in war time.
Over the years, the notorious Whitburn Steel and neighbouring White Steel rocks have claimed many a ship.
The last merchant vessel to meet with disaster at Whitburn was the colliery waste barge, Bumblebee 4, which ran aground on the Steel during a gale on the evening of December 7, 1990. She had just left the Tyne, when she parted from the 149 gross tons pusher-tug, Weswear. Two crewmen had to be airlifted from the barge, which was refloated some days later.
With all this activity on the rivers and at the coast, not even the bright lights of Souter lighthouse could keep all the ships away from the dangerous rocks and notorious currents of Whitburn Steel, particularly in bad weather and in war time.
Over the years, the notorious Whitburn Steel and neighbouring White Steel rocks have claimed many a ship.
The last merchant vessel to meet with disaster at Whitburn was the colliery waste barge, Bumblebee 4, which ran aground on the Steel during a gale on the evening of December 7, 1990. She had just left the Tyne, when she parted from the 149 gross tons pusher-tug, Weswear. Two crewmen had to be airlifted from the barge, which was refloated some days later.