Diving on the wreck of the SS Thistlegorm

The wreck of the unlucky carrier, which was sunk, almost at the destination of its fourth voyage, is a real treat for fans of wreck diving. The giant vessel and its cargo are a wonderful place for an underwater expedition. What the remains of the giant ship that was the SS Thistlegorm offer us is impossible to see during a single descent.

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Impressive dimensions, as well as relatively easy and safe penetration of the interior, make the wreck SS Thistlegormis one of the most frequent places of tourist diving expeditions. It should be remembered, however, that this is a dive site located about 50km from Sharm El Sheikh, in connection with which getting to it takes quite a lot of time.

When planning our dive, we must know that in Thistlegorm, we will always encounter a sea current. Depending on the day and the direction of the current, we will have to plan our exploration accordingly, so as not to get too tired. For inexperienced persons, it is recommended to dive with the current and return in the middle of the wreck, where the elements of its construction will make the whole task easier.

This colossus, more than 120m long, rests on its keel slightly tilted to the port side, at a depth of 30m. The first elements of the wreck, such as its deck and superstructures, are already at a depth of 15-20m. The first elements of the wreck, such as its deck and superstructures, are already present at a depth of 15-20m. Among them, the most noteworthy are the bridge and the captain’s cabin, located more or less in the middle of the wreck, just before its most damaged part.

On either side of the carrier, at the height of the torn ammunition depot, at a distance of about 30m, we find fragments of the Stainer 8F locomotives that were carried on board, which separated when the explosion occurred. This illustrates the force of the explosion, as each of the locomotives weighed 126tonnes! Much closer to Thistlegorm, and at the same height as the locomotives, are two Bren Carrier MKII tanks. In turn, the anti-aircraft gun, 40mm calibre, is worth seeing at the stern.

The wreck offers the most to see in its holds. We will find there a whole lot of military equipment, which was supposed to be a supply for the British Fifth Army stationed in Egypt. Among what we come across inside and around the carrier, we can distinguish: trucks, motorbikes, aircraft parts, engines, ammunition, weapons, radio equipment and even boots.

The holds are very easy to access and are a great place to dive, combined with all that we can see outside, we create a huge underwater attraction. Therefore, given the size of Thiestelgorm and all that I have mentioned above, it is important to plan our exploration in advance so that we do not exceed the limits of a no-decompression dive. It is impossible to see everything at one time anyway, and there is no point in rushing, as exploring piecemeal is never anything interesting.

The wreck, however, despite its shallow depth and easy accessibility is suggested for divers with some experience. It is mainly about the difficulties posed by sea currents and the fact that many interesting things are inside, and to explore inside the wreck, some experience in this type of diving is already required. Nevertheless, I recommend diving the SS Thistlegorm to anyone who will have the opportunity, because the beauty of this place is overwhelming, and the time spent there escapes in an instant, so it is worth planning at least two dives and having someone with a camera in your team, because the photos from there will be an amazing souvenir.

Source: www.ssthistlegorm.com
Photo: SarahDepper/flicker