Helen's Reef facts for kids
 Helen's Reef
Location in Oceans around British Isles
Location of Helen's Reef in Europe
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| Geography | |
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| Location | North-East Atlantic |
| Coordinates | 57°36′5″N 13°39′29″W / 57.60139°N 13.65806°W |
| Administration | |
Helen's Reef is a group of small, rocky islands called skerries. You can find them in the North Atlantic. They are about 2 kilometers (1.2 miles) northeast of a larger island called Rockall. Helen's Reef is part of the United Kingdom's exclusive economic zone. This means the UK has special rights to explore and use the ocean resources in that area.
These skerries are often hidden by high tide or rough waves. Sometimes, the only way to see them is by the waves breaking over them. This makes them very dangerous for ships.
Contents
History of Helen's Reef
How Helen's Reef Got Its Name
Helen's Reef is named after a ship called the Helen. This ship was a brigantine, a type of sailing vessel. In 1824, the Helen was on its way from Dundee to Quebec. Sadly, it hit a rock near Helen's Reef called Hasselwood Rock.
The accident happened on April 17th. The crew tried for about twelve hours to keep the ship from sinking. But water quickly filled the ship's hold. The captain told everyone to go on deck with warm clothes. It was hard to launch the lifeboats. One boat even got damaged. Sadly, many lives were lost, including passengers.
Who Owns Helen's Reef?
Helen's Reef is located within the 12-nautical-mile (22 km) territorial waters of Rockall. The United Kingdom claimed Rockall in 1955. They made it part of the UK with the Island of Rockall Act 1972. For a long time, Ireland also claimed this area. But this disagreement was settled on March 31, 2014.
Famous Shipwrecks
Helen's Reef has been the site of several shipwrecks because it is so hard to see.
- In 1812, a survey ship named the Leonidas sank on the reef.
- On June 28, 1904, a large steamship called the SS Norge also sank there. The Norge weighed 3,318 tons. It was carrying 795 people, including 240 children. They were all on their way to New York. A terrible 635 lives were lost in this disaster. Most of the 163 survivors were taken to Stornoway. The wreck of the Norge was found a hundred years later. It was lying in 65 meters (213 feet) of water.
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