SQSAC's Favourite Overseas Dive Sites
SS THISTLEGORM,
STRAITS OF GUBAL, NORTHERN RED SEA.
Bombed while at anchor in 1941 by four Heinkel Bombers from Crete who were looking for the Queen Mary she lay forgotten about until discovered by Jaques Cousteau in 1952.
A film was made of the dives on the Thistlegorm and shows Cousteau recovering the Bell and the Telegraph.
She lay forgotten about again until rediscovered in 1992, then an Article appeared in Diver Magazine in 1993 and it was the Wreck everyone wanted to Dive.
Best Dived from a Liveaboard, although you can use a Day Boat from Sharm, or Hurghada
it is still a great wreck, although beginning to collapse now. With the holds full of Bedford Trucks and Motorbikes, Bren Gun Carriers and Large Shells, on the wreck there are still the large guns on the stern and cases of rifles lying about.
On the seabed at about 33metres there are two Railway Engines about 20m off the wreck.
Lots to see and explore, Captains Bath, The Bridge, and Engine Room, several dives will be needed to appreciate this wreck.
With the shallowest part being around 17 metres and the Seabed at 30 metres you can have a decent dive. Be warned that the currents can be strong, and with up to thirty boats onsite it is safer to ascend up the Shotline.
ROSALIE MOLLER
STRAITS OF GUBAL, NORTHERN RED SEA
Built at Greenock in 1910 and known as The Scottish Wreck, she was bombed and sunk while at anchor off Gubal Island in 1941 by Heinkel Bombers from Crete, probably the same ones who sunk the Thistlegorm two days earlier.
A 'sister ship' of the Thistlegorm the layout is the same apart from the 5000 tons of coal in the holds.
Not dived as much as the Thistlegorm the wreck is pristine, with all the Corals intact and Portholes and Brass still in place, apart from the Bell, Telegraph and Steering Binnacle which has been lifted. The Engine Room is intact, and with the pots and pans still in the galley it is a real Time Capsule. When we dived it we noticed that stuff is beginning to disappear, like Gauges from the Engine Room, but still loose Portholes about.
At a depth of 47m metres at the stern and nearly 50m at the Starboard anchor at the Bow, this is a Deep dive, you descend the shot to the Forrard mast top at 19m then descend down the mast to the Deck at 35 metres. On the Stern Starboard squarter a large gash can be seen from the Bomb explosion that sank her
In my opinion a better wreck than the Thistlegorm, the soft corals and Fish life on her are stunning, and although deep the visibility is far better.
Best dived from a Liveaboard, although not all of them can find her, or will put less experienced Divers on her due to the depth.
2005 update,
Deck rails which were intact and covered in life are now gone, all the hard Coral has been destroyed , The Soft Corals which festooned the mast are also gone, and lots of wear and damage from the ropes attached to the tops. All loose portholes have gone, and lots of damage observed in the Engine Room. very sad.
The result of Inexeperienced Holiday Divers being taken onto these wrecks, Dive Guides and Boat Operators must take the blame for this damage!.
UM EL FAROUD
WEID-IZ-ZURRIEQ, MALTA
Although not a fan of Wrecks sunk for Divers this is one of my favourite Dive Sites, lying in 35 metres of clear blue water, near the Blue Grotto at the South West corner of Malta, this is a cracking dive for Wreckies and Non Wreckies, with loads to explore inside and outside, and lots of Fish and Life on the Wreck, you wont be disappointed.
The easiest way to get to the wreck is to walk down to where the small boats take Tourists around to the Blue Grotto, sit and wait and when its quiet they will take 4 of you in a Boat round to the site and you get dropped right onto the wreck, for £5 maltese its a bargain.
Alternately do the long Snorkel out and arrive knackered!.
Colin above the Engine Room
You can enter the wreck at several places and start in the bilges and work your way up to the bridge, this is a fairly deep penetration dive but there are lots of escape points to open water, although when wriggling up the staircase be careful, as lots of wire and cable about, sharp edges and oil and grease. (although there is a nice washroom to clean up in!
Colin washing his hands!
We usually end the Dive around the Bridge area at about 24 metres and watch the Shoals of Fish feeding in the current, to get back to the shore swim off from the Starboard side of the Bridge at 24 metres , within 100 metres or so you will arrive at a rocky reef, keeping this on your Left you can follow this ascending back to where you started, when you arrive at the inlet I suggest you stay a bit deeper while you cross over to the exit to avoid the boats, ascend up and you will find that there are ladders to get you out.
This is a great Dive but be careful if swimming off the wreck on the Port side as there can be strong currents if it is windy, be careful of entanglements inside. Boat traffic and fishing lines can be a problem at the exit point.
(Remember and look in the Little Shop and Cafe at the pictures of the Great White Shark caught locally, the jaws are on display on the wall....impressive!).