The Chaudiere is the closest of the Hamelin Bay wrecks to the boat ramp and, according to divingwawrecks' South West overview, probably the more impressive of the two wooden barques. She was a 470-ton wooden barque, 41 m long with an 8.9 m beam, built at Sunderland in 1863. Marinelife.org.au records that she arrived on 23 May 1883 to load sleepers. On the night of 3 July the wind shifted north and strengthened, and she dragged her anchors toward the shore; despite more cable being let out the next morning, she ran aground and was lost on 4 July as the weather worsened.

The site covers about 30 by 10 m, with substantial hull remains: planking and frames, iron fastenings amidships, stacked timber sleepers from her cargo, and scattered copper fittings and sheathing. She lies on sand with her bow toward shore in 5-6 m. Like the Agincourt, she is a vivid example of the timber trade that brought ships to this exposed bay.

The Chaudiere is an easy shore or boat dive for Open Water divers and snorkellers, best on flat days when visibility reaches 10 m. It is often combined with the Agincourt, 260 m to the north, in one dive or snorkel.

Hamelin Bay was a timber port from the 1880s, when a jetty built in 1882 and extended in 1898 served M. C. Davies' milling operations. It was notorious for wrecks in bad weather because it is exposed to the north-west gales of winter storms; the 22 July 1900 storm alone wrecked several ships, and only the old jetty piles remain today. The bay is now a recreation zone in the Ngari Capes Marine Park, and every wreck in it older than 75 years is protected.

Hamelin Bay is on the coast west of Karridale, about 35 km south of Margaret River and 30 km north of Augusta, reached via Caves Road and Hamelin Bay Road. Park at the boat ramp/jetty area beside the Hamelin Bay Holiday Park. Launch at the Hamelin Bay boat ramp - marinelife.org.au warns it is narrow, slippery and swell-exposed, and a 4WD may be needed.

The Chaudiere is the closest wreck to the ramp, about 650 m north of the jetty and a few hundred metres offshore (sources give 100-300 m). It can be reached as a shore dive or by a short boat run; anchor in sand.

Needs swell under 1.5 m (divingwawrecks); the sandy bottom reduces visibility during surge. Calm summer days with easterlies are best. General pattern on the Capes and Leeuwin coast: summer mornings often have light easterly (offshore) winds before a south-westerly sea breeze, and long-period south-westerly groundswell can arrive on otherwise calm days; winter fronts bring big swell and north-westerly winds.

Check the Bureau of Meteorology swell forecast, not just the wind.

Descend at the stacked sleepers, circuit the 30 x 10 m site looking at planking, frames, copper fittings and sheathing, with the bow pointing toward shore; then swim north to the Agincourt if gas allows. Snorkellers should stay within easy reach of the exit point and swim with a buddy; scuba divers at these depths need no safety stop but should ascend slowly and surface near the float.

No operator; self-guided from shore or private boats. Nearest dive services: Swan Dive (Busselton/Port Geographe) for fills, hire, nitrox and charters; no dive shop in Margaret River or Augusta.