The SS Thistlegorm is
one of the main reasons why people come to this
area of the Red Sea. The Thistlegorm was over
126 metres long and now lies on the floor of
the ocean where she attracts scores of divers
from all over the world. The wreck itself is
starting to deteriorate from some of the careless
moorings made by dive captains over the years
and the sheer weight of numbers of divers who
come to visit – many of them selfishly
taking “souvenirs” with them. The
Thistlegorm is located 38 miles from the port
of Hurghada and 31 miles from Sharm el-Sheikh.
Exploring the wreck is
usually done in two stages after your dive boat
has moored to the external structure of the
wreck. If you have an experienced dive captain,
like Amro Shehata of the MV Valerie, then arriving
the night before you dive will ensure that you
have a better chance of having a decent dive
before the place turns into Picadilly Circus
with the “hammering hordes of Hurghada”
spoiling the fun for everyone. Alliteration
aside, get ready for one of the best wreck dives
in the world (one of the reasons, of course,
why the Thistlegorm became so popular in the
first place)
The first dive
of the day is usually a general tour of the
vessel from north-west to south-east. Visibility
is rarely better than 25 metres, but this is
a lot better than you are going to be used to
if you do your scuba diving in the U.K!
More
about the Thistlegorm
