Thistlegorm Liveaboard Diving

Liveaboard Diving in Thistlegorm

What to Expect On A Thistlegorm Liveaboard

A dive liveaboard to the SS Thistlegorm, one of the world's most famous shipwrecks resting in around 20-30 meters of water, should be on any divers '' dive' list in the Red Sea. She left Glasgow in June 1941 carrying locomotives for an Egyptian train company, military vehicles, and munitions for the Allied forces stationed in Egypt. She anchored off the coast with the HMS Carlisle as an escort waiting for transit through the Suez Canal.

The Thistlegorm never made it to the Canal, though. On the 6th of October, she was mistaken for a troop carrier and bombed by the Luftwaffe. She sank through a destructive combination of the German bombs and the ignition of her ammunition. Most of her cargo remains inside the ship's holds, except for two locomotives on either side of the shipwreck.

The Thistlegorm was rediscovered as a dive site by Jacques Cousteau in the 1950s, and during the diving boom in the 1990s, it became a world-famous dive site. The cargo is easy to view without wreck penetration because the wreck split in two, revealing trucks, guns, motorcycles, and many other military goods in the cargo holds. This is a dream for wreck divers, and there are plenty of eels, barracuda, batfish, and the occasional turtle around for wildlife lovers, too. Numerous Egypt liveaboards offer dives on the Thistlegorm as part of their Northern Red Sea itineraries.

Daily Schedule

Morning: The Thistlegorm is rated one of the best wreck dives in the world, which means that it is extremely popular. This means many divers visit every day, so if you are diving from a liveaboard you are in luck. The morning will be early, around 6 am, but getting in the water and exploring before any of the day boats arrive from Sharm is well worth it. For this reason, most liveaboards diving the Thistlegorm try to make two dives on the wreck before heading to another quieter site in the afternoon.

A light breakfast in the morning, followed by a briefing, will help you orient yourself for the dive. The wreck is very large, so maybe even take notes in the briefing to spot important points when you get down there. Liveaboards and other boats often anchor on or very close to the wreck, meaning divers can go directly from the main boat without a tender.

Thistlegorm Underwater

The Thistlegorm is over 128 meters long and sits upright on a sandy seabed. The wreck site has so much to see that it takes at least two dives, if not more, to see most of it. It is best to start with the deeper profile at the stern, around 30 meters, and then work your way up.

The Thistlegorm is split in two, with the smaller stern section on its side and a fantastic break that exposes the layers of cargo decks. On the stern, in addition to the propeller, tanks, and munitions, machine and anti-aircraft guns are hanging from the now vertical deck. They are a dream come true for divers with a passion for World War II hardware.

There are also two locomotives, one on the port and one on the starboard. They came out of the vessel when she sank, and sitting in the sand not far from the main wreck, they are a perfect subject for underwater photographers. Towards the middle, where the bowels of the ship have been exposed by the explosion that sank her, there are numerous layers of the holds. These holds are full of cargos, including everything from rifles and grenades to shoes and boots a veritable underwater museum.

The marine life is more concentrated towards the shallower area close to the ship's stem, although you will find cardinals in the holds and crocodile fish in the sand near the locomotives. Big barracudas hang out above the wreck, though, and eels are frequently seen poking out of different cracks and holes in the structure.

Top Tips for Thistlegorm

• A liveaboard cruise which visits the Thistlegorm is the best way to see this wreck, with early morning dives you will avoid the crowds arriving by boat from Sharm el Sheikh.
• The wreck can be a bit disorientating, so making a quick slate copy of the sitemap might prove helpful.
• For photographers, a good flash is a big advantage. Many of the most photo-worthy items are in the hold, where the light is scarce.

Getting to Thistlegorm

Egypt liveaboards that include the Thistlegorm normally depart from Sharm el Sheikh or Hurghada. Both resorts have airports offering international flights from mainland Europe with further afield connections. Almost all liveaboards offer transfers for guests from the nearby airport or hotels in the area.

Liveaboards, which dive on the Thistlegorm, usually embark from Sharm el Sheikh and will normally travel along the coast towards the Thistlegorm, taking in several dives in Ras Mohammed National Park and the wrecks at Abu Nuhas. Those that begin in Hurghada will head North via Abu Nuhas and other popular wreck sites such as Shaab El Erg.

Accessing the Thistlegorm by day boat starting in Sharm el Sheikh is also possible. The day starts very early, usually around 4 am, and returns around 5-6 pm. This long day is due to the 4-hour sail from the port at Sharm. Most of these day trips offer 2 dives on the Thistlegorm.