Zantman's Rock

Zantman’s Rock is a small, barely visible outcrop in the Atlantic, 55 kilometres west of Land’s End in Cornwall. It lies nine and a half kilometres west of the Isles of Scilly and two kilometres north of Bishop Rock Lighthouse. The rock is also about four hundred metres northeast of the Crim Rocks, which are a short distance to the southwest. From most angles the rock shows little above the waterline, making it easy to miss. It first appears on an Admiralty chart from 1860, though earlier charts grouped it with the Crim Rocks.

The rock’s name comes from an old story about a Dutchman who was shipwrecked there. He clung to the rock until help arrived, and the place took his name. In 1913 the steamer Susanna struck the rock and broke apart, and parts of the wreck still lie on its southwestern side. The rock has long been a hazard to shipping moving between Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly.

Visitors who reach the area by boat can see the low grey hump of Zantman’s Rock rising only a few centimetres above the waves. The Crim Rocks nearby are slightly larger but still hard to spot. Bishop Rock Lighthouse stands guard two kilometres to the north, its white tower rising sharply from the sea. The wreckage of the Susanna can sometimes be seen at low tide on the rock’s sheltered side. The surrounding waters are deep and often rough, so only experienced sailors approach the site.