News
Day trip to the Thistlegorm
The wreck of the Thistlegorm has to be one of the top attractions in the Red Sea, and also ranks as one of the most iconic wrecks in the world. This morning, we were up as the sun was just beginning to rise to make the 3 hour boat ride from Sharm to this fantastic dive site. The excitement was palpable; even at that early hour, everyone was buzzing as we boarded the Camel Tribe. Those that had dived it in the past, like us, were keen to return, and for those that had never seen it, their anticipation grew as we told stories about its history and our own previous experiences.
The Thistlegorm was bombed in 1941 and sank very quickly, along with her cargo of trucks, trains, motorbikes, and even aircraft. A huge hole was blasted almost completely through the middle of her as the bomb that hit her found the armoury section of the boat. You can still see shells & rifles in this section, and two intact guns are mounted on her stern. She now lies in 30m of water and is one of the most popular dive sites anywhere in the world.
We arrived nice and early, and jumped in as soon as the boat was moored up in order to beat the other boats that would surely arrive. There was absolutely no current and we had the whole wreck to ourselves. Just us and our Camel Dive Club private guide, Beth. We had planned the dive thoroughly, as we wanted some specific shots, and Beth led us right to the trucks that we wanted to shoot. The holds are a fantastic place to explore and take photographs. We decided to try out some remote strobe lighting, with Caroline dropping her camera rig inside one of the trucks to assist with Nick’s shots.
For the whole first dive, we did not see another diver – even the other Camel guests – and had the wreck to ourselves to explore in perfect conditions; amazing. After 45 mins, it was time to head back to the surface and review our images and plan for the second dive. This time we wanted to check out the bow section, with its rope room and bowsers, as well as trying to get external shots of the wreck. We had a great second dive, and just as we signalled to head back to the line, the current started to pick up and a large group of divers descended. Perfect timing, once again! We were keen to hear from the rest of our small group, as we had some very enthusiastic divers who had never been on the Thistlegorm before – they loved it, and the chatter was relentless.
Diving the Thistlegorm from Sharm is a great way to dive this iconic site. You do not have to spend a week on a liveaboard, you can come back and sleep in a comfy bed… oh, and it is the Camel Dive Club party this evening….
www.egypt.travel/diving-in-egypt
For more from Nick and Caroline visit www.frogfishphotography.com.
Gear News
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Blogs
Northern Red Sea Reefs and Wrecks Trip Report, Part 3: The Mighty Thistlegorm
Jake Davies boards Ghazala Explorer for an unforgettable Red Sea diving experience…
Overnight, the wind picked up, making the planned morning dive a bit bumpy on the Zodiacs to the drop point on Thomas Reef. There, we would dive along the reef before descending through the canyon and then passing under the arch before ascending the wall with a gentle drift. The site provided great encounters with more pelagic species, including shoals of large barracuda, tuna, and bigeye trevally.
Once back on the boat, it was time to get everything tied down again as we would head back south. This time, with the wind behind us, heading to Ras Mohammed to dive Jackfish Alley for another great gentle drift wall dive before then heading up the coast towards the Gulf of Suez to moor up at the wreck of the Thistlegorm. This being the highlight wreck dive of the trip and for many onboard, including myself, it was the first time diving this iconic wreck. I had heard so much about the wreck from friends, and globally, this is a must on any diver’s list. Fortunately for us, there was only one other boat at the site, which was a rarity. A great briefing was delivered by Ahmed, who provided a detailed background about the wreck’s history along with all the required safety information as the currents and visibility at the site can be variable.
Kitting up, there was a lot of excitement on deck before entering the water and heading down the shoreline. Descending to the wreck, there was a light northerly current which reduced the visibility, making it feel more like the conditions that can be found off the Welsh coast. At 10m from the bottom, the outline of the wreck appeared as we reached the area of the wreck which had been bombed, as our mooring line was attached to part of the propeller shaft. Arriving on deck, instantly everywhere you looked there were many of the supplies which the ship was carrying, including Bren Carrier tanks and projectiles that instantly stood out.
We headed around the exterior, taking a look at the large propeller and guns mounted on deck before entering the wreck on the port side to take a look in the holds. It was incredible to see all the trucks, Norton 16H, and BSA motorcycles still perfectly stacked within, providing a real snapshot in time.
Overall, we had four dives on the Thistlegorm, where for all of the dives we were the only group in the water, and at times, there were just three of us on the whole wreck, which made it even more special, especially knowing that most days the wreck has hundreds of divers. Along with the history of the wreck, there was plenty of marine life on the wreck and around, from big green turtles to batfish, along with shoals of mackerel being hunted by trevally. Some unforgettable dives.
The final leg of the trip saw us cross back over the Suez Canal to the Gobal Islands where we planned to stay the night and do three dives at the Dolphin House for the potential of sharing the dive with dolphins. The site, which included a channel that was teeming with reef fish, especially large numbers of goatfish that swam in large shoals along the edge of the reef. These were nice relaxing dives to end the week. Unfortunately, the dolphins didn’t show up, which was okay as like all marine life they are difficult to predict and you can’t guarantee what’s going to be seen. With the last dive complete, we headed back to port for the final night where it was time to clean all the kit and pack before the departure flight the next day.
The whole week from start to finish on Ghazala Explorer was amazing; the boat had all the facilities you need for a comfortable week aboard. The crew were always there to help throughout the day and the chefs providing top quality food which was required after every dive. The itinerary providing some of the best diving with a nice mixture of wreck and reef dives. I would recommend the trip to anyone, whether it’s your first Red Sea liveaboard in the Red Sea or you’re revisiting. Hopefully, it’s not too long before I head back to explore more of the Red Sea onboard Ghazala Explorer.
To find out more about the Northern Red Sea reef and wrecks itineraries aboard Ghazala Explorer, or to book, contact Scuba Travel now:
Email: dive@scubatravel.com
Tel: +44 (0)1483 411590
Photos: Jake Davies / Avalon.Red
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