The History of The Ship Wreck At Alkimos Beach

The Alkimos was a merchant shipping vessel which was wrecked on the coast north of Perth, Western Australia, in 1963. It has earned the reputation as a Haunted, Jinxed or Cursed ship due to numerous, unusual events such as inexplicable accidents, recurring badluck and the appearance of apparitions. 


The Alkimos was consturcted in ten days during the haste of WWII she was just one of the 2751 Congress approved American express Liberty ships. Originally named the George M Shriver in Baltimore in 1934. After the war she was later sold to Norwegian Hands and became the Viggo Hansteen, finally and lastly sold to a Greek shipping line she was named the Alkimos. 

During 1944 then named the Viggo Hansteen the Alkimos was headed toward a Russian port when ahead of her 2 other merchant ships were bombed by German Uboats. The Viggo Hansteen was spared from attack but later became stranded on a reef not marked on any maps she spent six hours there, a sitting duck until she broke loose under her own power. 

After nearly two decades on the high seas the Alkimos ran aground at Beagle Rocks south of Geraldton, north of Fremantle Western Australia on a journey from Jakarta to Bunbury. With her propeller badly damaged it was decided that she would be towed back to Fremantle for immediate help and then be towed to Hong Kong for permanent repairs.

The ship was somehow able to refloat itself and steamed under its own power to reach Fremantle.While awaiting repairs at Fremantle in 1963 the Alkimos was mysteriously set ablaze resulting in many thousands of dollars of repairs. When it came time to be towed to Hong Kong the seafaring tug called the Pacific Reserves tow line broke and the Alkimos drifted towards the coast and became beached near Yanchep. 

On February 28 1964 another salvage was attempted the Alkimos was being towed by the Pacific Star when the Pacific Star was placed under arrest for monies owed to a company in Manila . The Pacific Star could no longer legally tow or offer aid to the Alkimos and she was set at anchor between the reefs off Eglington Rocks about 4 kilometers south of Yanchep Beach.


Yanchep is a few minutes drive from Mindarie where we live, we walked along the beach here this afternoon.
My extra is of the rain clouds at Alkimos Beach, rolling in over the Indian Ocean, quite dramatic looking..