Diver on wreck of the SS Carnatic

Red Sea Wrecks Text and photos by Brandi Mueller , The , its reputation precedes itself. The beautiful red-orange desert mountains stand over the unexpected and contrasting blues of the water. The calm and clear waters hide much below. Under the water is a rainbow of colors, and among the fish and corals, are the re- mains of many ships.

The Red Sea has been deceitful to many captains over time. The beautiful reefs that divers dream about here have also caused many a ship to meet its end. Sail- ors thought they were safe after clearing the challenging and narrow only to run aground or hit just out- side the canal. Misjudgment and bad weather as well as numerous wars have laid the stage for the demise of many ships. Although a popular dive location for Europeans, I (coming from the United States) knew very little about what I would find. I had always heard about its fantastic reputation and was excited to discover there were so many wrecks (which I happen to like very much). Not only are there wrecks, but there are wrecks with really great stories be- hind them. Gold coins, wars, motor- cycles and even toilets—who knew? I love nothing more than a good story and a good dive to create more diving stories to tell over a few drinks back on the boat. Lucky for me I had a week on Emperor Diver’s MV Superior and a fantastic group of Finnish and Irish dive buddies. The hardest part was that there were so many wrecks with so much to see on

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THIS PAGE: Scenes from the SS Thistilegorm; City of Hurghada (right)

and Italian Thistlegorm, two ships ing a huge in the Mediterra- had collided blocking explosion nean, she made the entrance of the and sinking the long trip canal, forcing her to the ship. Two around via Cape wait before continuing. Heinkel He- Town, South She was moored at Safe 111 aircrafts Africa, refueled Anchorage F in Septem- had been and headed up ber, awaiting the call to dispatched through the Red continue up the canal. by the Ger- Sea towards the The Thistlegorm waited mans from Suez Canal. for two weeks and on Crete to find Passage October 6, in the middle and destroy through the Suez of the night, two bombs a rumored was dependent were dropped on her, ship carrying each one. I wanted to dive them over on how many other ships there were, both hitting a hold with 1,200 British and over again. The dive guides cor- enemy activity, and in the case of the stored ammunition caus- troops, and rectly assured me that the next one these aircraft would be just as good, if not better. were headed back after an unsuccess- Diving out of Hurghada in March, the ful hunt. They spotted the Thistlegorm at water , frosty 22°C (70°F) anchor in the moonlight and decided was a bit colder than I expected (I to release the unused bombs. The hadn’t done my research before arriv- explosion almost tore the ship in two, ing). My first giveaway that the water and towards the stern, the ship seems would be chilly was when my boat to have peeled away leaving a distinct mates were unpacking their drysuits! missing section of the ship. Luckily the diving was so good that I While passing through , didn’t notice I was cold until the safety the HMS had joined the Thistle- stop. With so much to look at and so gorm and was anchored nearby also many things to take photos of, I hardly awaiting passage. The Carlisle rescued had time to notice I couldn’t feel my what crew it could, but nine of the 48 toes. didn’t survive. Launched in 1940, the Thistlegorm Diving the wrecks was built as a steam, single screw cargo SS Thistlegorm. The World War II Brit- ship. She only had four voyages, the ish Supply Ship, SS Thistlegorm, had fourth being her last. Her completed left Glasgow, , on 2 June 1941 journeys were to North America to loaded with military supplies headed bring back steel rails and aircraft parts, for , Egypt. Due to German Argentina for grain, and the West In-

56 X-RAY MAG : 55 : 2013 EDITORIAL FEATURES TRAVEL NEWS WRECKS EQUIPMENT BOOKS SCIENCE & ECOLOGY TECH EDUCATION PROFILES PHOTO & VIDEO PORTFOLIO THIS PAGE: Scenes from the wreck of the Thistlegorm; Motorbikes stacked travel in the beds of trucks on deck (right) Red Sea

bow and entered the interior of the ship one truck, our dive guide point- to visit holds #1 and #2. The first thing I ed out a battery which divers noticed inside the ship was motorbikes had rubbed clean of algae to upon motorbikes stacked in the beds show its brand. It is stamped of trucks. Three bikes to each truck and with “Lucas, 1941, Birmingham with many of the trucks you could see England, Lead Acid”. Swimming through the roof of the cab to the driver’s through the holds, there is a lot seat, clutch, pedals, and a few steering of outside light and quite a few wheels. exits if one wants to get out of Continuing over the trucks there were the ship. stacks of tires in any extra space in front On a second dive, we dove of and behind the trucks. Schools of the outside of the wreck first squirrelfish seem to have visiting one of two LMS Stanier dies for sugar and rum. made their homes in Class 8F steam locomotives, To Alexandria she was the ‘tween decks of the destined for Egyptian Railways, carrying Bedford trucks, ship, and they hovered that had been carried on the BSA 350 and Norton 16H above the trucks and deck of the ship. Both were motorbikes, boxes of motorbikes. A diver was hurled off the ship in the explo- rifles, aircraft parts, am- waving his flashlight at sion, landing one on either side munition, tires, Wellington me frantically summon- of the wreck. On our way back boots, torpedoes, tanks, ing me over and point- to the ship towards the stern, two locomotives and ed out a massive green there was an upside down tank other military supplies. moray eel coming out on which one could clearly On our first dive there of a crack between make out the caterpillar tracks. was some , which a truck cab and bed. On the stern, the Thistlegorm is common, and we used Upon closer inspection, was armed with a 120mm a surface line to pull the eel seemed to be (4.7inch) anti-aircraft gun and a ourselves up to the bow guarding a Wellington machine gun (the latter being mooring and decent line. boot. attached after the construction We descended forward The trucks and motor- of the ship). Both of these guns are still in- horizontally. of the ship’s bomb de- bikes seemed to never tact, the forward gun pointing toward the Aside from all the exciting artifacts and struction towards the end, and in the back of sea floor and the machine gun outward historical WWII relicts, the Thistlegorm is

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many artifacts have Scenes from the wreck been removed from the of the SS Carnatic ship as well; Cousteau, (above and left) himself, took a motor- cycle, the captain’s went to sleep, hand- teeming with marine life. We saw several cate the wreck in 1956 using knowledge safe, and the ship’s bell. Divers ing the vessel over crocodile fish lounging on the deck, the from local fisherman, but it was not found have removed many of the small to his officers and holds were filled with colorful reef fish, again and dove until the early 1990s. objects such as steering wheels giving the orders of batfish patrolled the decks, and pink and Unfortunately, time and extensive use and parts of the motorcycles “full speed ahead”. orange anthias guarded the soft coral- is taking its toll on the wreck. Rusting from over time. Shortly after, the ship covered winch. more than 70 years in saltwater as well as Even with the wreck pillagers hit the reef and sank. The Thistlegorm is one of the most many boats mooring directly to it in weak and dive boats and saltwater Having originally popular and most dived sites in the world, spots have caused collapses. Sadly, taking its toll, the Thistlegorm is a been launched as and it’s easy to see fantastic wreck dive. the Shoyo Maru in why. The cargo it Multiple dives are need- 1969, the 99m (325ft) contains makes for an ed to see the majority long and 16m (52ft) exciting treasure hunt of it, and even after wide cargo vessel with unsuspected many dives it would be was built in Japan. war artifacts found tough to get bored. She was sold and around every cor- frequent ner. Its max depth is the dive site. Being close to the Giannis D, the Carnatic, the around 30m (100ft) Sharm el-Sheikh and Hurgada, Chrisoula K, the Kimmon M, and the making it easy for day boats can easily get there. Marcus. recreational divers The Giannis D had left the and allowing for a fair Giannis D. Shab Abu Nuhas is a Croatian port of Rijeka in April 1983, amount of bottom reef that is just below the sur- carrying wood to Jeddah, Saudi time. Jacques Coust- face near the Straits of Gobal, Arabia, and continuing on to Ho- eau was the first to lo- a very busy shipping lane. This deidah, Yemen. Having made it hidden reef has been the de- through the Suez Canal, the captain Scenes from mise of more than one ship. In thought they were in the clear and the wreck of the fact, the wrecks of five ships can Giannis D (right, top be dived off Shab Abu Nuhaus: Historical image left and top center) of the SS Carnatic wikimedia commons

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Anthias on coral; Pair of chevron butterflyfish (right); Diver at Carnatic wreck site encounters wild dolphins (lower right)

renamed the Marcos in 1975, and sold intact. again in 1980 to Dumarc Shipping and The fish life is pro- Trading Corporation and named the Gi- lific with many spe- annis and D for Dumarc. cies of reef fish call- Sitting at a 45 degree angle on her port ing the shipwreck side between 6-27m (20-90ft) our dive home. A large mast guide took us through the interior of the extends horizontally stern. The slight tilt made it feel as if we from the ship and is were swimming through an underwater covered with hard fun house. There isn’t too much in the and soft corals. It way of artifacts inside the ship, but the appears to be its engine room is easily accessed with ma- own little mini reef, chinery, gauges, handles and levers still and I saw emperor anglefish and par- rofish there. Hang- ing down from the mast are the original rigging lines, also growing pink soft corals. The collapsed midsection harbors GB£40,000 of gold coins. In the dark early batfish and crocodilefish. hours of 16 September 1869, the ship hit Shab Abu Nuhas. Captain Jones assessed SS Carnatic. Another casualty of Shab the damage and decided the ship was Abu Nuhas reef, SS Carnatic was sail- okay for the time being. He knew the ing to Bombay from Suez with 34 pas- P&O Liner Sumatra would be passing by sengers and 176 crew, carrying cotton soon. He decided to keep all passengers Curious dolphins at the Carnatic wreck site bales, copper sheeting, Royal Mail and on board and continue business as usual Lush coral growth on the wreck of the SS Carnatic

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THIS PAGE: Scenes from the wreck of the Rosalie Moller; Glassfish (left)

port side sending everyone into the water. and copper on the With many heroic efforts, the remaining boat, Lloyds of Lon- passengers were rescued and transported don sent one of their to Shadwan. Eventually, the Sumatra best salvagers to the passed by and rescued those left. wreck. All the gold was Today, the wooden decks of the reported found as well 90x12m (300x40ft) ship have rotted away as much of the cop- leaving only the steel hull, with its iron sup- per and mail, although ports and cross-members. The shallowest there’s still a rumor that part of the ship is at 17m (55ft) and the gold coins may be deepest at 27m (88ft). It is lying on its port found around the ship. side. I had a quick look, but The iron ribs were extensively draped sadly, didn’t find any. with soft coral probably due to lots of water, nutrients and sunlight being able Rosalie Moller. An- to pass through the beams. The bow other loss of WWI, the area was packed full of glass fish, which Rosalie Moller was built hardly even tried to move out of the way in 1910 in Glasgow by when a diver swam through. Near the Barclay Curle & Co bow, dozens of small pipefish were free under the name Fran- swimming just off the beams in search of cis. The 108m (355ft) until the Sumatra showed up to rescue went on, the captain finally gave the breakfast. ship was sold in 1931, them. Passengers were told not to worry okay for passengers to be put into the The middle section has mostly col- renamed, and started and instead to prepare themselves for lifeboat. lapsed but the stern is intact and the sailing in . When dinner. It had been a day and a half since they prop sits in the sand. A very photogenic the war broke out, she Passengers asked the captain multiple ran aground. As the first four passengers davit encrusted with corals extends out was moved back to times to take them to were being put in the lifeboat (woman from the stern section, and as I was fram- Liverpool and placed some three miles away by lifeboat. and children first) theCarnatic suddenly ing a photo with the davit and the sun under the command of All requests for transport were denied, as broke in half. The aft section of the boat behind it, a group of four large spotted Captain James Byrne, transporting goods coal, highly coveted during the war he kept hoping for the Sumatra to pass sank quickly with five passengers and 26 dolphins swam by our group of divers. for the . because it was supposed to burn longer by. Becoming more persistent as time crew. Soon, the rest of the ship fell onto its Because of the large quantity of gold In July 1941, she was carrying Belgian and created less smoke, to Alexandria.

60 X-RAY MAG : 55 : 2013 EDITORIAL FEATURES TRAVEL NEWS WRECKS EQUIPMENT BOOKS SCIENCE & ECOLOGY TECH EDUCATION PROFILES PHOTO & VIDEO PORTFOLIO travel Red Sea With the Mediterranean off limits because of German and Italian forces, she sailed the long way around via South Africa. Having gotten near the Suez Canal, just like the Thistlegorm, the Rosalie Moller took anchor to wait its turn to go up the channel. This ship's passage was also affect- ed by the collision that made the Thistlegorm wait. Anchoring in Safe Anchor- explored the exterior, which is age H, the Rosalie Moller had still very much intact and sit- no idea about the loss of the ting upright. Visibility was a little Thistlegorm two days earlier, murky, which is often normal, when during the night of Oc- making the ship a little eerie tober 8, two more twin engine and mysterious. We had no Heinkels flew overhead and current, and that combined released two bombs, one hitting with the bottom composition the Rosalie Moller, and she sank probably led to the decreased in less than an hour. Only two visibility. lives were lost, the rest of the Descending from our boat, crew were able to get to the our first view was of one of two lifeboats. still upright masts wrapped with Sitting between 17 and 50m soft coral. Headed further down (55-165ft), this is one of the to the ship deck, we swam the bow, the deck gear was all in the direction of the setting deeper wrecks we dived. With towards the bow. I looked still in place, and a crocodile sun, far from land and at least training and into some of the deckhouse fish was lounging in front of the three cigarettes from Ras Mo- equipment, this ship is known for windows, and the interior was winch. hammed. Here, there is a reef its penetrations particularly to packed full of cardinalfish, glass- This site is a popular place which comes out from the sea the engine room, but we only fish and other juveniles. Near for a tiny, but very pretty pur- to break the surface at low . ple flabellina nudibranch. We Go to the end of this reef com- found three of them during our ing from the south east.” short dive on the Rosalie Moller. Pulling out some charts, Running short on bottom time, Howard Rosenstein got quite I headed back to the forward lucky guessing the exact spot. mast to ascend and saw sev- The ship wasn’t identified as the eral large tunas hunting around Dunraven for another two years, the wreck. when engraved porcelain had been found with the name. Dunraven. Sometimes the story Launched in 1873, the Dun- of the finding of a wreck can raven was capable of being be just as exciting as the ac- powered by sail or steam. In count of its sinking. In the case 1876, the ship was on its way to of the Dunraven, in the 1970s, Newcastle from Bombay car- Howard Rosenstein was look- rying spices, timber and cot- ing for a shipwreck to dive. ton. In good weather, the ship Local fishermen provided him sailed straight into the reef near with the “GPS coordinates” of Ras Mohammed in the dark. a site described cryptically: The crew tried for 14 hours to "There is a place out in the Gulf get the ship off the rocks, finally THIS PAGE: Scenes from the wreck of the Dunraven

61 X-RAY MAG : 55 : 2013 EDITORIAL FEATURES TRAVEL NEWS WRECKS EQUIPMENT BOOKS SCIENCE & ECOLOGY TECH EDUCATION PROFILES PHOTO & VIDEO PORTFOLIO THIS PAGE: Scenes from the wreck of travel the Kingston Red Sea most of the wreck from the ard Cousins went to bed to reef. Many fish have made sleep. Near midnight, the the wreck their home in- ship hit Shag Rock. In an cluding many anthias and attempt to save the vessel, several schools of glassfish. the crew dumped a large Some of the more notable quantity of the coal cargo. remains include four tall The ship was still afloat posts near the bow area when the captain asked standing straight up. At the the passing F.W. deepest point, 19m (62ft), Ward to help pull her off. the propeller sits encrusted They declined but offered with coral and fan corals passage for the crew, are growing on the hull. which the captain denied. The Kingston was a 78m Later the Columbian (255ft) by 10m 32ft) rigged came alongside and tried iron hull screw steam to help pull her off, but ship sailing from London couldn’t. A full day had through the Mediterra- passed when the ship nean and the Suez Canal started taking on water to Aden, Yemen, with a and the captain decided crew of 25. Once getting to have the crew aban- through the treacherous don ship. Seventeen crew canal, Master Thomas Rich- were given passage on the

succeeding, but it still capsized, almost felt like entering a large sinking quickly. The 25 crew dome. Light made its way in were rescued by local fisher- through the lower sides near man. the sand, with the ship over- Mostly upside down and lying head. Squirrelfish and goatfish on her port side, the propellers schooled inside the wreck, and are the shallowest point at 17m after exiting, a large napoleon (55ft), and the ship deck sits in wrasse paid us a visit. The area the sand at 27m (88ft). around the wreck was very nice With several entrance points reef with hard corals, sea fans, into the interior, the Dunraven and lots of reef fish. made for a fun dive swimming inside most of the upside down SS Kingston. All that remains of hull. We started the dive outside the Kingston, which sank in 1881 the wreck near the propeller after running aground on Shag (one of the shallowest points) Rock, are the metal beams and which still has three of the hull. Sitting upright with its shal- blades intact. Coming around lowest point at 4m (13ft) the ship the starboard side, we entered remains are so overgrown with the ship near the sand, which corals it's hard to differentiate

62 X-RAY MAG : 55 : 2013 EDITORIAL FEATURES TRAVEL NEWS WRECKS EQUIPMENT BOOKS SCIENCE & ECOLOGY TECH EDUCATION PROFILES PHOTO & VIDEO PORTFOLIO Remains of the Jolanda; Diver and fan coral in the travel Red Sea (right) Red Sea abyss. Coming up between 145 and 200 on the Jolanda meters deep, but for me, cargo, I first saw the cargo was just as one lone white interesting, even without porcelain toilet the ship. sitting upright, as if it were waiting Afterthoughts to be used. Con- The history that lies be- tinuing on they neath the Red Sea makes littered the sea it a playground for any floor sometimes enthusiast. stacked on top of With so many ships having each other and sunk for different reasons scattered in all over many years, it has directions. A small become an underwater bit of metal ship museum decorated with structure was left the gorgeous and color- as well, with the ful corals and fish of the beams decorated Red Sea. Tales of destruc- by soft coral, and tion and loss, wars, bad fish taking up weather and just bad residence un- luck are as numerous as derneath, in the the abundant marine life shadows. of the Red Sea. As my The ship was week came to an end, relocated in 2005 I was already planning my return trip to see it all passing Almora, but the rest of the crew again and maybe check stayed onboard for another day and out the Southern Red Sea then moved to Gobul Island, staying wrecks. ■ four days before being rescued. Brandi Mueller is an Jolanda. Often incorrectly spelled underwater photog- Yolanda, the Jolanda was a 75m (245ft) rapher based in Cypriot freighter sailing from to Honolulu, Hawaii. Damietta Alexandria Port Said Aqaba with a cargo of toilets, wash ba- She is a PADI IDC IS. Tanţa Suez sins and bathtubs. She ran aground near Staff Instructor Canal JORD. Ras Mohamed during a bad storm on 1 and 100ton USCG Al Jīzah CAIRO April 1981. After four days, the ship rolled Captain. See: Al Fayyūm SINAI onto the port side sitting at the edge of smugmug.siren- SAUDI ARABIA a wall. Until 1985, she was completely in photography.com Al Minyā recreational dive depths, but then the Sharm el-Sheikh ship fell over the edge leaving only the References: Asyūt Hurghada toilet and bathtub cargo behind on the en.wikipedia.org/wiki/SS_ Red reef between 10 and 30m (32-100ft). Thistlegorm Al Khārijah Luxor Sea Close to the popular dive site Shark en.wikipedia.org/wiki/SS_Carnatic LIBYA Reef, the Jolanda cargo is an unex- www.aquatours.com pected sight underwater. We started www.touregypt.net our dive at Shark Reef drifting along in a slight current. The hard corals cover the sloping wall, which extends off into the Location of Hurghada on Cargo of ceramic toilets litter the wreck site of the Jolanda map of Egypt and global map SUDAN

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