Thistlegorm

Thistlegorm is the intact wreck of a British World War II supply ship (about 125 m long) that sank in October 1941. The site is dominated by the upright cargo vessel and its contents, with large holds packed with military vehicles, trucks, Bren gun carriers, motorcycles, ammunition crates and other equipment; it is one of the most famous and frequently dived wrecks in the region. Dives are conducted from anchored dive boats (liveaboard or day trips, commonly from Sharm el Sheikh) with a descent to the upper decks around 15–18 m before exploring the interior and the stern down to about 30–33 m; maximum depth inside the wreck is about 25 m and the stern rests on a sandy bottom near 33 m. Visibility is typically good, often exceeding 15–20 m, and water temperatures range from the low 20s C in winter to the high 20s C in summer. Strong currents can occur, especially on the approach or with reef-channel flow, and tidal drift is possible, while holds are relatively sheltered; caveats noted include the deep depth requiring air-rate management and attention to no-decompression limits, silt-prone holds making penetration cautious, and heavy visitor traffic from multiple daily boat visits. The ship sank in October 1941 and now lies upright with a heavily damaged blast patch amidships and two overturned steam locomotives on deck (one off the port side and one off the starboard side). Penetration is possible through large hatches and interconnecting doors between Holds 1 through 3, which contain BSA motorbikes, Bedford trucks, armored cars, Lee-Enfield rifles, mines, shells and piles of boots.