If you are a regular vacationer in camping on the island of Oléron, you have surely already seen on the beach of La Giraudière the remains of an old boat which are covered and uncovered with the high tides. These are the remains of the steamboat "Présidente Viera" which ran aground between Saint-Trojan and Grand Village on the night of November 18 to 19, 1916. Discovery…
Storm on Oléron and ship in distress!
It is the night of November 18-19, 1916, in the heart of the First World War. Early in the morning, the cargo ship "President Viera", originally from Montevideo in Uruguay, managed to get through the German blockade and sailed off the coast of the island of Oléron. Coming from New York, the 3,000-ton steamer, which was carrying tobacco, clothing and war material, had to deliver its precious cargo to the port of Bordeaux. A few miles from Oléron, while suffering damage, the ship was caught in the turmoil of a violent storm. The southwest winds were blowing particularly hard and the efforts of the captain and his crew were in vain. Very quickly, the boat ran aground on the beach, sank into the sand and broke in two.
Immediately, rescue operations were organized and sea rescuers from the Saint Trojan station came to the aid of the 25 shipwrecked people. They set up a "back and forth" with a single lifeboat between the ship in distress and the beach. After many hours of effort, they managed to bring the sailors back to dry land safely. This was followed by major salvage work that was carried out by German prisoners held at the Château-d'Oléron internment camp, under the aegis of the Compagnie française des travaux sous-marins.
The “Presidente-Viera” will remain hidden in the sand for 70 years!
It was only in 1987 that the wreck appeared as if by magic. Shortly after the sinking, the sand had completely covered the carcass of the cargo ship so that it quickly sank into oblivion. The wreck remained well hidden in the sand for more than 70 years before resurfacing! Today, the old steel hull, more than a century old, is invaded by a colony of mussels that shore fishermen come to collect at low tide. For some, it is a vulgar pile of scrap metal that is a blot on the scenery, at best a landmark on the beach, while others see it as a a full-fledged vestige of the history of Saint-Trojan-les-Bains. In any case, in a few decades time will get the better of the wreck which will disappear forever!