BINNENDIJK

The SS Binnendijk was a proud cargo steamship of the Holland America Line and one of the company's first to be powered by modern steam turbines. Launched in 1921, she served trade routes for nearly two decades, a testament to Dutch engineering and maritime commerce. Her peaceful career came to an abrupt end at the very beginning of World War II. In October 1939, just a month after the war began, the Binnendijk became the first vessel the Holland America Line would lose, a harbinger of the immense shipping losses to come.

On October 7th, 1939, while navigating the English Channel, the Binnendijk struck a German-laid mine off the coast of Dorset. The explosion was catastrophic, and despite the crew's efforts, the ship succumbed to its wounds and sank the following day. She was carrying a general cargo, and her loss marked one of the earliest Allied merchant casualties of the war at sea.

Today, the wreck is affectionately known to the UK diving community as "The Benny." Lying at a depth of 25 meters, the 122-meter-long vessel is a popular and impressive dive. Although the years have taken their toll, the wreck is still recognizable, with its boilers, engine, and hull structure providing a fascinating playground for exploration. The site is teeming with life, including large shoals of bib, pollack, and the classic wreck-dwelling conger eels and lobsters, making it a premier destination for divers exploring the rich maritime history of the English Channel.