HMS Carantan (Chasseur No. 5)
Location: 1 mile off Anvil Point (Swanage)
Description: French submarine hunter
Length: 116 feet
Depth: 28 metres
Sunk: 21 December, 1943
This French submarine hunter sank during a fierce south-westerly storm, only six of the 23 crew were saved. At the time of her sinking she was operating as an escort and support vessel to the British Submarine HMS Rorqual.
She lies on her port side on rock and slate bed. Both propellers have been lifted. The hull has a twist in the middle. Parts of the superstructure remain, as does much ammunition. She is a small ship measuring 116ft long with a narrow beam of only 18ft and weighing 400 tons. She is well broken, but still worth a dive. Laying in 28m of water and again only 500m from the Kyarra with the same slack times.
The 407 ton French submarine chaser was taken over by the Royal Navy at fall of France in 1940. She was built in 1939 measuring 116ft x 18ft. Armed with 75mm field gun, one 2-pounder, two 20mm Oerlikons, four machine guns and depth charges. She is owned by a local Swanage man Eddie Bennet.
Photos of Carantan by Cathy de Lara.
More information can be found here:
Divernet - Anything but the Kyarra
100 Best Wreck Dives
HMS CARANTAN - 37
References taken from Dive Dorset