The SS Thistlegorm is a 128 metre long World War II British transport ship which sunk in 1941 following a German air attack. She is located 40 kilometres off the coast of Sharm El Sheikh in the Red Sea, in the South Sinai Peninsula in Egypt. During the time she has been submerged, she has become one of the best wreck dives in the world due to multiple reasons; the depths make it accessible to most divers as it lies, on her side, between 16 metres and 32 metres, divers are able to access it and explore the insides and aside from the ship there are also 2 tanks, jeeps, motorcycles and rifles, there is still even the anti-aircraft gun. There is so much history to explore here and she is still all in great condition and there is something different to see at every turn. The contrast between this large wreck with the vibrant colours of the tropical waters of the Red Sea makes it even more of a spectacle. She has created its own ecosystem over time, she is encrusted with coral and schools of fish surrounding these corals. There is so much to be explored here that it is always done in two dives from a boat, and sometimes that doesn’t feel like enough! This dive into history is the epitome of wreck diving.
Of course, the main, and only type of diving which is done here is wreck diving, and wreck diving will be done! The wreck needs at least two dives for the divers to really be able to experience the wreck at its full potential. Divers need to have at least a PADI Advanced Open Water certification or equivalent to dive here due to the depths of the wreck but also due to the currents which can unexpectedly become stronger. There are opportunities to penetrate the ship from multiple access points so divers need to feel comfortable in enclosed spaces and narrow passageways, and be able to deal with poor visibility if sediment gets kicked up inside.
The dive site is located 40 kilometres off the coast, out in the sea, and it usually takes around 3 hours to reach the dive site. It is reached either by liveaboards or by day trip boats which, for the large majority, depart from dive centres and dive resorts in Sharm El Sheikh. This is not a dive site visited for dive courses.
The main spectacle here is of course the Thistlegorm wreck herself, lying on her side on the sea bed and over time having become encrusted with numerous corals. Because of the large amount of other items such as jeeps and motorcycles also scattered over the sea bed, there are so many nooks and crannies for different species of fish to hide. The smaller reef, including large schools of Trevally, which live among the corals here, attract larger species such as Barracuda, Tuna and Snapper, who see this as an ideal hunting ground. Some of the spectacular species here include large schools of Batfish, which will follow divers around with their curious nature, and Hawksbill Turtles who are the king and queen of this wreck.
Thistlegorm is visited for the wreck, and after divers have done two dives, they will usually do a third dive in Ras Mohammed dive site which is nearby, which is where divers will get their flourishing marine life fix. Ras Mohammed is known to be one of the most thriving marine environments in the Red Sea and is teaming with life colours and species of all shapes and sizes. By visiting here, after seeing one of the most impressive wrecks in the world, divers can also experience one of the best reefs in the world.
Wildlife Sightings are Based on User Generated Content
The image shown is a representative illustration and does not depict every individual animal in this category.
Total number of species approx.: 200
The image shown is a representative illustration and does not depict every individual animal in this category.
Total number of species approx.: 600
The image shown is a representative illustration and does not depict every individual animal in this category.
Total number of species approx.: 27
The image shown is a representative illustration and does not depict every individual animal in this category.
Total number of species approx.: 12
The image shown is a representative illustration and does not depict every individual animal in this category.
Total number of species approx.: 90
The image shown is a representative illustration and does not depict every individual animal in this category.
Total number of species approx.: 130
The image shown is a representative illustration and does not depict every individual animal in this category.
Total number of species approx.: 250
The image shown is a representative illustration and does not depict every individual animal in this category.
Total number of species approx.: 28
The image shown is a representative illustration and does not depict every individual animal in this category.
Total number of species approx.: 100
The Red Sea is known for its overall pleasant diving conditions so luckily this dive site is accessible year round. The water temperatures here vary between 21 degrees Celsius in the coldest months, December to February, and reaches up to 28 degrees Celsius in the summer months of July to September. The visibility is also usually great here ranging between 15 metres and 25 metres. The dive site is located out in the middle of Red Sea which does mean that it can be affected by the weather, mainly wind, but it rarely gets to a point where the dive site becomes inaccessible, but it can be a bumpier ride to get there. The marine life which is usually spotted here is here year-round as well.
