The forward section of the vessel is in the middle of Porth Dafarch. The bow stands some 3m high and is surrounded by iron plates, ribs and girders. The massive boilers are still insitu. Areas of deck planking can sometimes be seen when the sediment cover over the wreck is reduced. Tubular sections of the masts and spars can also be seen. The stern section lies close the rocks at the western side of he bay and is inclined at a 45 degree angle. Remains include large iron plates, ribs and a semi-circular girder (part of the steering/rudder assembly) associated with the centre rod operating the rudder and steering chains. Portholes and piping have been recovered and reported to the Receiver of Wreck.

Event and Historical Information:
The MISSOURI was a iron steamship built by C Connel Shipbuilding Company at Glasgow in 1881. Technical and configuration specifications are given as 5146gt, 3313nt; 425ft 6in long x 43ft 6in breadth x 27ft 9in depth; 4 masts, 7 bulkheads, 3 decks, boat deck 56ft; barque rigged; screw propulsion powered by 3 steam boilers linked to a compound engine producing 600hp. At time of loss, the vessel was owned by Missouri Steam Ship Company. However, it was operated by George Warren & Co, who had bought up the sailing packets of the White Diamond line when it failed in 1857. The company continued to trade between Liverpool and Boston as George Warren's Line of Liverpool and Boston Packets. Passenger steamship sailings were begun in 1865 as George Warren & Company. The company became the White Diamond Steam Ship Company in 1898. The MISSOURI was carrying cattle, hides, cotton and palm oil from Boston to Liverpool on 1 March 1886 under the command of master Kerr. The ship encountered an east-southeasterly gale force 6 and heavy snow as it made its way up St George's Channel. The master believed that he had set a course to keep clear of the coast, but the ship drove onshore at Porth Dafach. Efforts were made to refloat the vessel using the ship's engines in reverse, but this only caused the stern to swing round further towards the shore. Hoping they could lighten the vessel by disposing of some of her cargo, about a quarter of the 395 cattle on board were dropped into the sea. The loss of their weight made little difference. The Holyhead lifeboat, THOMAS FIELDEN, was on standby to be launched. However, the cliff rescue team from Holyhead were able to rig a breeches buoy to bring 18 cattlemen, three stowaways and the ship's doctor safely ashore. Two tugs arrived to attempted to pull the MISSOURI off, but these failed. At midnight, the hull took on a sudden severe list to starboard and all the remaining crew were taken off to safety. Salvers later recovered much of the cargo but only 50 of the cattle were saved. The wreck is a popular dive site and often buoyed to facilitate access.

Sources include:
Board of Trade Wreck Return 1886 Appendix C Table 1 pg134 (612)
BSAC Wreck Register vol 7, number 16 (44)
Geo Networks Ltd, May 2011, Geo Subsea Fibre Optic Cable Installation Report UK, fig14
Larn and Larn Shipwreck Database 2002
Lloyds Register of British and Foreign Shipping, 1 July 1885 - 30 June 1886 number 925 in M
Receiver of Wreck Droits Database 2007, RCIM6/2/5
Transcript of the Log Book of the Holyhead Lifeboat 1860-93, Gwynedd Archive Service XM/1593/2
Wynne-Jones, I, 2001 Shipwrecks of North Wales, pg53

Maritime Officer, RCAHMW, May 2008.