The first site was a new one for everyone, including the Captain. Sha’ab Ata is at the far southern end of the uncharted area and is crowned with a small beacon to warn any captain stupid enough to wander out of the shipping lanes, which lead to Port Sudan, that the area is fraught with danger. Ata’s coral platform is sausage shaped on the surface and the gradation of blues radiating outwards looked promising.

Hitting the water and looking down as the first person to see a new reef fills the soul with a sense of achievement. During the descent, I saw stepped ledges leading towards the depths and at 30m we stopped and started forward. The hard corals were pristine and the number of intact and healthy table corals were, I’m sure, reminiscent of how the northern Red Sea used to be. In these now popular dive sites the delicate, slow growing coral species are the fist things to be sat on, smashed through and toppled over, but here that was not the case. Nothing had been touched by the hand of man. Fishermen sometimes came to this reef, but their small boats had done little if any damage.

Finning along the south side of the main reef, we were shadowed by a small tuna, which was interested in what we were. I say small, but it was a fair- sized fish in the same way a baby elephant is a fair sized animal. It cruised the ocean side of our group throughout the dive only breaking off when the last person was in the boat.

Large reef fish through were harder to find. Grouper were visible, but their numbers kept in control by the fishermen, and we were still not far enough from the shore for many pelagic species. Still, there was a large shoal of black snapper, the odd batfish, coral trout, a mass of butterflyfish and angelfish and several juvenile Napoleon wrasse. It was a pretty reef, not exceptional in terms of excitement, but it held the beauty of a glamour model with good colours and pristine corals.

From Ata, the Ciprea headed east into the oceanic Red Sea for real to one of the few places that provide boats sanctuary from wind and waves. Heading beam on wasn’t particularly the nicest way to make a sea crossing, but the quickest, and with a northwesterly blowing there wasn’t much alternative, but the Ciprea is a metal vessel, built for the North Sea and rode the water well - Hamdoo lilla!

There are wonderful diving holidays to experience especially Indonesia diving and South Africa diving. To find out more please go to http://www.divingworld.co.uk/.

Bluff Point, however, is only an hour’s sailing from the general search area for the Rosalie Moller and, with this in mind, Ali Baba invited me to join him and Captain Mohammed Said Hassan. Captain Hassan is widely regarded as the second best Captain in the entire Red Sea. Not that he minds being second best - everyone acknowledges his father as the outstanding figure in this regard - and he located the Thistlegorm in 1963!

Captain Hassan handed me a chart and asked me to plot a certain position. Where he got it I do not know - but it was right on the edge of the general search area. He smiled “We go tomorrow” he said and at 0630 hrs the engines coughed into life. This normally provides an early morning call for all those on board, but today there was an added element of excitement and few were still asleep. Most of us were checking we had a “good fill.” Every time Ali Baba looked at me he smiled and said two words “Rosie Muller!” - and somehow, I suspect the ship will eventually become known by this slightly altered name. By 0800 hrs we were searching.

Now, I must confess, the last time I discovered a shipwreck (well sort of!) was 16 years ago. So, my natural optimism was being tempered by a distinct lack of information. I was well aware that the chances of success were slim - in fact we had no chance at all. True, we did know something about a ship that no longer existed and a very approximate location - but altogether hardly enough… To make matters worse, none of us had quite realised before we sailed that the Miss Nouran was not equipped for searching - no reason why she should be. Apart from thick mooring/anchor lines, we had nothing and apart from fenders - no buoys. On top of that, not one Diver had a reel or SMB.

Another very important element to be taken into consideration was the fact that my fellow passengers were all paying guests and here to enjoy as much Diving as possible during their one-week holiday. They had not paid to waste time going up and down in search of something that was, in all honesty, probably not even there!. Ideally, we might have gone diving first - but the search area was well away from the recognised sites and there really was nothing else readily available. Everyone agreed, therefore, we search for Two Hours and no more.

The ensuing search then quickly became a team effort. Chris Gleadow - one of the technical divers, took charge of the GPS - and, sitting right in front of the Captain, directed him accordingly. I watched the Decca screen and had my compass ready to take bearings. Others joined us from time to time and there was a high degree of expectation as the boat was slowly conned - first one way and then another.

There are wonderful diving holidaysto experience especially Indonesia diving and South Africa diving. To find out more please visit http://www.divingworld.co.uk/.

For many years, British vessels passing the site where the Thistlegorm went down would dip their flags as a mark of respect to those who lost their lives. The ship itself, however, remained undisturbed until the early fifties when Jacques Cousteau discovered her. He raised several items from the wreck - including one of the motorcycles, the Captain’s safe and the ship’s bell. Indeed the February 1956 edition of “National Geographic” clearly shows the ship’s bell still in place and his Divers in the ship’s “Lantern Room” - all of which were also still in place at that time - but not, apparently, when the vessel was rediscovered by modern Scuba Divers.

Cousteau later published a book although, deliberately or otherwise, it contained wrong co-ordinates and, once again, the Thistlegorm passed into obscurity. All that changed in the early nineties when a group of divers happened upon her by chance. In so doing, they had re-discovered one of the greatest shipwrecks of all time.

What makes this ship so extra-special is a combination of several factors. To begin with, despite extensive damage aft of the Bridge, the main section is upright and on an even keel. Then, there is the story of her passing, with all it’s ingredients of War, Heroism and Tragedy - something that can never be recreated for any vessel deliberately sunk.

Lest we forget, even the Titanic would have passed into obscurity were it not for the manner of her sinking! Then, prevailing conditions and accessibility all come into play - and the Red Sea is hardly bleak and wind-swept. An acceptable climate and relatively warm waters, therefore, come into the equation which also includes very good underwater visibility and a maximum depth of just 32 metres.

What more could be asked of any shipwreck you might ask - and the word “Cargo” springs to mind. In the case of the Thistlegorm, that cargo is a veritable underwater “World War II Museum.

There are wonderful diving holidays to experience especially Indonesia diving and South Africa diving. To find out more please go to http://www.divingworld.co.uk/.

Launched in 1910 as the “Francis,” this 3963 ton cargo steamer was built by Barclay Curle & Co Ltd of Glasgow for the Booth Steamship Company of Liverpool. In March 1931 she was sold to the Moller Line and renamed the Rosalie Moller from when she saw considerable service on the Liverpool - China route until just before the outbreak of WW2.

Like so many vessels, she was regularly used for War duties and in October 1941 was carrying a cargo of coal to Alexandria. With safe passage through the Mediterranean almost impossible at this stage of the War, the Rosalie Moller made the lengthy journey round the Cape of Good Hope, up the east coast of the African Continent and into the Red Sea before being assigned to “Safe Anchorage H” to await passage through the Suez Canal.

These were difficult times and getting through the Canal was dependent on several factors. Enemy activity - especially Air Raids from German aircraft based in Crete, cargo priority and how long other vessels had been waiting had all to be taken into consideration. At this time, however, two vessels had collided further up the Gulf of Suez and were virtually blocking the entire seaway. This is why the “Thistlegorm” - with her much needed and valuable cargo, had remained at anchor for a full two weeks before being attacked and sunk!

On the night of 5 October 1941, German Heinkel 111’s operating from Crete, crossed over the Egyptian Coast to search for a large Troopship. This was not found - though one aircraft did find the Thistlegorm and, at 0130 hrs 6 October 1941, the Thistlegorm was sunk. The resulting explosion lit up the night sky revealing even more ships at anchor and 48 hours later two aircraft returned. One of theme found the Rosalie Moller and, at 0140 hours 8 October 1941, she too went to the bottom. Interest in this particular vessel then faded for one very good reason.

After the War, raw materials were in short supply and throughout the Gulf of Suez many shipwrecks were raised and salvaged for their metal or cargo - whilst others were cleared as hazards to shipping. Understandably, many of these ships were wrongly identified by those who had other priorities and at least two accounts of the Rosalie Moller both show her to have been raised after war - and broken up! Of course, she was not.

There are wonderful diving holidaysto experience especially Indonesia diving and South Africa diving. To find out more please visit http://www.divingworld.co.uk/.

Perceptory overload is not a phrase I care to utter often. But when you mix three species of shark, two species of ray, humphead parrotfish, and perfect visibility all in dive, one’s mind gets set upon by unheard of concentrations of neurotransmitters and it finds it difficult to cope. This was the very feeling I had two days before starting to write this article as our group discovered a plateau of immense beauty and what’s more, as far as we could tell, it had never been dived before.

As I write, everything is north - Red Sea diving-wise anyway. Even what most people consider south his still north. Reefs with names such as Elphinestone, Zabagad, St Johns are so far to the north they may as well be at the pole. Even the exceptional Sha’ab Rumi and Sanganeb are north. That’s because if you had a map of Sudan, found Port Sudan on the Red Sea coast and headed southwards you’d come to Suakin, now a ruined town, but once the area’s main trading port.

From here head almost directly east towards Saudi Arabia and if you have a good map it would show you where I sit and write these words - in a sheltered lagoon named Sha’ab Anbar 15 minutes west of the 38 degree East longitude line.

We are exploring; on a voyage to discover new Red Sea reefs, which in time I’m sure, will become the new Elphinestone, Zabagad, Brother Islands Sha’ab Rumi or Sanganeb. Starting from Port Sudan the ex-research vessel Ciprea turned south and navigated the narrow channel between the coast and a large heavily reefed and uncharted section of sea.

Looking at the Admiralty Chart, I saw great swathes outlined in blue with ‘Uncharted’ written ominously within. The chart itself is a mish mash of surveys from ‘Miscellaneous Soundings’, ‘US’ Government Charts’ and ‘Commercial Surveys’ all dating from 1859 to 1984, and most were completed at the start of the last century when a weighted line was the most accurate way of testing depth. Our Captain, luckily had been through these waters before and was accustomed to the ‘plot and guess’ navigation technique.

There are wonderful diving holidays to experience especially Indonesia diving and South Africa diving. To find out more please visit http://www.divingworld.co.uk/.

The Thistlegorm was built by Joseph Thompson & Sons of Sunderland and launched in June 1940. She was 126.5m (415 feet) in length and displaced 4,898 gross tonnes. Powered by a triple-expansion, 3 cylinder steam engine that generated a very comfortable 365 horsepower. She was one of a number of “Thistle” ships owned and operated by the Albyn Line. With her construction being part funded by the British Government, however, she was destined for “War” duties from the moment she was launched. Unfortunately, apart from the official photograph of her launching, there appears to be no pictures of the Thistlegorm from her days afloat.

In the official history of the Albyn Line, a Mr Harry Bansall recalls his own experiences on the ship. Being well connected within the Company, he had asked to go to sea and was soon offered a berth as fifth engineer in the brand new ship at the age of just 18.

Despite her designation as an “Armed Freighter” with an additional armoured Gun Deck built over the aft section, an overall shortage of weapons, meant that only an old 47″ gun and a heavy calibre machine gun - both of WW1 vintage, were all that could be spared for the Thistlegorm. Her maiden voyage was to the USA to collect steel rails and aircraft and her second voyage was to South America for grain. It was during this journey that the Captain decided on some mid-ocean gunnery practise.

The traversing mechanism of the 47″ gun was badly worn and had been replaced with a manual mechanism which meant that a second person had to push the barrel around by hand as it was being fired! After the first shot, the second round jammed in the breech. Such misfires are always dangerous - because an attempt to fire the round has been made and it can, therefore, now explode at any time. A long rope was, therefore tied to the firing mechanism and this led away to a shelter behind the aft mast house. The resultant flash engulfed the entire stern of the ship - with the projectile managing a whole 50m before dropping into the sea. Thus ended all gunnery practise.

The Thistlegorm’s third voyage was to the West Indies from where she returned with sugar and rum. This, however, culminated in a return to the Clyde where she was laid up for two months for repairs to her boilers before being assigned her final cargo.

There are wonderful diving holidays to experience especially Indonesia diving and Maldives diving. To find out more please go to http://www.divingworld.co.uk/.

Ecologically, the Red Sea is a magnificent underwater Marine Park of such unique diversity of flora and fauna that it will always remain one of the Underwater Wonders of the World in it’s own right. Had there been no shipwrecks, it would still attract visitors - just as the Great Barrier Reef does in Australia or the Belize Barrier Reef does in the Caribbean, though, it must be said that today’s Diver is far too demanding to settle for Corals and Fishes and as soon as he (or she!) had earned that T shirt which proclaims “Red Sea - Been there - Dived that” it would be time for something different the following year.

It is an undeniable fact, therefore, that it is the incredible ship’s graveyard which attracts Scuba Diving Tourists back to the Red Sea, especially the Egyptian Red Sea, year after year - as though the Divers were made of metal and the ships a veritable magnetic force.

The Gulf of Suez is that narrow strip of water to the north-west of the Red Sea which leads to the Suez Canal and was already a major seaway long before that famous man-made connection with the Mediterranean was ever opened. Time was, when passengers and freight were unloaded at Alexandria and moved overland to Suez before joining a new ship and resuming the journey. Today, of course, they sail right through but, whichever direction they take, it has always been the Gulf of Suez which remains the most treacherous stretch of water of the entire journey.

Today the Red Sea is a highway for many thousands of Freighters, Tankers and even Liners - all using the Suez Canal as they make their way between the Indian Ocean and Mediterranean Sea. Although this route is much shorter and safer than the 1200 mile alternative round the Cape of Good Hope, they still have to successfully navigate unpredictable currents and shallow Coral Reefs - all of which combine to make the Red Sea one of the most testing stretches of water in the world.

Many have come to grief and today there are ancient shipwrecks and modern - with some that are neither, such as the Carnatic lost in 1869 with the loss of 26 lives, the Dunraven in 1876 and the Ulysses in 1887 - each representing a fascinating insight into tragic and incredible stories from another age of transport and, in the case of the Carnatic, another age of Diving. Then there are the WW2 casualties such as the Thistlegorm and the newly re-discovered Rosalie Moller - to name but two and both lost within 48 hours of each other in 1941. Finally, there is that new breed of “modern” shipwreck such as the Kimon M (1978), the Chrisoula K (1981) and the Giannis D (1983).

With so much to offer - in addition to a welcoming climate, it is easy to understand why this relatively small section of the Red Sea has become so popular with Divers to the extent that the Egyptian north Red Sea is probably the most outstanding centre for Scuba Diving in the world.

Of all the shipwrecks in the entire Red Sea, one vessel sits mast and funnel above all others and that ship is, of course, the SS Thistlegorm. Such is the pulling power of this single shipwreck that she attracts more Divers than any other underwater site - anywhere in the entire world. In fact, the Thistlegorm has consistently remained “The World’s Foremost Diving Attraction” ever since she was re-discovered in the early nineties. After my own very first visit to this vessel, I found myself calling her “The Mighty Thistlegorm!

There are wonderful diving holidays to experience especially Indonesia diving and South Africa diving. To find out more please go to http://www.divingworld.co.uk/.

With this years opening of Egypt’s legendary off shore diving sites specially licensed and equipped live aboard vessels can now offer divers the chance to join special two week expeditions to dive four world class areas all in one trip. This area of the world has always been special to me; somewhere I will never tire of. It gave me enormous pleasure to join MY Greta as a guest of Diving World: The Southern Red Sea pioneers, for this pioneering cruise and another breath of fresh compressed air…

MY Greta is one of a new class of all-weather steel Safari vessels plying the Red Sea waters, capable of extended expeditions with a range of over 2,000 nautical miles. She is equipped with every conceivable navigation aid, which includes state of the art GPS plotter, depth sounders, Sat. phone/fax, a quality SSB and two FM radios. This equipment allows safe night navigation, which is a huge bonus when long distances have to be covered in one go, divers waking up the next morning already at the dive site. Marine Park.

The new Marine Park legislation covers all of the Egyptian offshore Islands, namely: Zabargad, Rocky Island, Daedelus and the Brothers. Strict rules ensure only able, seaworthy offshore vessels are eligible for operating consideration. These eligible vessels are then awarded area licensing termed area 1 and area 2 respectively. The logic in the division of these two areas is however strange and complicated.

Greta is one of only two vessels with Area 1 & 2 licensing and authorisation, which means it can legally operate in all of the new marine park sites. The new Marine Park is strictly managed too, and more often than not a Marine Park Ranger will travel with the boat as in this instance. Egyptian Navy Helicopters randomly patrol the Park reporting directly any vessel travelling or moored inside the protected areas. Any unauthorised vessel caught in these areas will be boarded, impounded and taken to the nearest Naval Base. These measures are a welcomed step in the right direction regarding conservation, ensuring both reef and marine life gets the chance to develop without the over-interaction of ‘Homo Aquarian’.

Each of the Parks Rangers are well-trained knowledgeable divers and Photographers. ‘Yasser’ our Ranger was no exception, taking his job very seriously with a firm belief in the protection of a natural marine environment. He quickly became known as the ‘Lone Ranger’, his camera: ‘Tonto’. Entry into the Marine Park costs the individual Diver $35.00 per week or $65.00 for two weeks and remember this is not included in your holiday price, it is paid before the boat sails.

The trip began with great debate and anticipation as old friends were reacquainted, and new ones were introduced. Everyone onboard sharing a common excitement about the voyage ahead…

There are wonderful diving holidays to experience especially maldives diving and South Africa diving. To find out more please go to http://www.divingworld.co.uk/.

The first trace on the Decca screen was simply unbelievable. We passed over the objective from side to side and I stared in disbelief at the image before me. It looked like one of those child’s drawings - a “V” shaped hull with a box representing the bridge and a funnel on top. For a moment, I thought someone below decks was feeding a computer image onto the screen - but then it was gone.

Excitement mounted as this information went out - but we had nothing to throw into the water to mark the spot. Then Geof Loe came onto the bridge. He and his wife Trudy were the second pair of technical Divers and, having spent 15 years in the Royal Marines, Geof was quite expert with GPS and Decca. With Geof and Chris working together with the Skipper and Ali Baba how could we miss. Very quickly our two hours were up - though we carried on with comments like “but we’re almost there.” Unfortunately, more than a little discontent was beginning to appear amongst some who were not taking part in the search. Then we passed over the shipwreck again and once again we were astonished by the picture on the screen. This time the trace was from end to end and another child-like drawing appeared - a long object on top of which was a box and a funnel. Our boat was barely moving. Chris punched-in the co-ordinates, the Captain scanned the horizon for transits and I took bearings on various distant points and then, yet again, it was gone again - but now we had a plan.

Chris got into the inflatable and directed the crewman to the very spot where the cross-hairs on the GPS met - and they anchored . We now had a fixed datum point within 100m of the wreck (that being the level of accuracy of the GPS). The Captain slowly conned the boat around the Inflatable until we were stopped right over the wreck. Down went the big anchor and the inflatable was recalled. The first two Divers were Chris and his technical diving buddy - Peter Watts. I handed them both a laminated copy of the photograph of the Hubert requesting they try to identify any key features. It was now after 1100 hrs and this was the first dive of the day. The plan was for them to spend 5 mins searching - unless, of course, they found the wreck, in which case they would spend 20 mins on the vessel before surfacing.

The Captain maintained way on the Boat - lest we should pull free from the wreck in the gentle current, and then we waited. Many optimistic comments were aired as our two colleagues were almost “willed” to find the vessel. After 25 minutes - a good sign in itself, they surfaced and began what seemed to be an agonisingly slow swim back to the stern of the Miss Nouran. Many questions were hurled in their direction - none were answered. Finally, they were standing on the Diving platform and fending this broadside of questions at close quarters.

“It’s a Reef!” they said and I was shattered. Not being one who is able to hide his emotions, I tried to change the subject and looked at Ali Baba and said “These people must go Diving!” He agreed and began to think of “where.” Just then, unable to contain the deception any longer, both Chris and Peter laughed and with the biggest smile I shall always remember Peter shook me by the hand. “Congratulations, Ned you have found your wreck!” he said. Then he produced the laminated picture - “straight out of the photograph!” he added with great pride and began to point out certain features that were still there - right below us.

The effect was immediate. Excitement on board - and, therefore, our morale, had been through a phase of extreme peaks and lows and now everyone caught the fever as we all prepared to get wet. The crew were equally as pleased and had all contributed to our success. The Captain - however, thought first of his boat and asked if the anchor was secure. Having been told it was, he switched off the engine.

The next pair into the water were Geof and Trudy and some minutes later I followed. One of the first things that Peter had seen as he dropped onto the wreck was the masthead lamp - still at the top of the forward mast and I was ready to take it’s photograph. Five, ten fifteen metres - “should be in sight any minute” I thought. Then it was thirty and even forty before I finally saw the seabed - with Miss Nouran’s large “grappling iron” style anchor ploughing a light furrow through the soft mud as the gentle current moved her through the water.

Unbelievably, the anchor had pulled free! That furrow, however, lead all the way to my shipwreck and perhaps it was only just out of sight. Then I thought of the others who were a few minutes behind me and pondered whether to go or stay. Just then, out of the gloom, came Geof and Trudy making it quite clear that they had also missed the wreck.

Back “upstairs” I prevented the others from a wasted journey and once again morale hit rock bottom whilst the search was resumed. By now it was 1 pm and the level of discontent from one quarter in particular was such that I became quite concerned. After all, I was not a paying guest and I did not wish to spoil another person’s hard earned holiday. I called the divers together and asked them all what they wanted to do. The sentiments expressed from a single source were too strong to ignore - he wanted to leave the site immediately and go Diving elsewhere and we did just that!

Personally, I was gutted. I simply could not believe it. We had just found something very special and within an hour of this important discovery I could only stare at the furious wake created by the twin engines of the Miss Nouran at full speed as we steamed away to find another Dive Site!!! We dived the site known to many as “the Freighter at Gobal Seghir.” Incidentally, I subsequently identified this particular wreck as the Ulysses which was lost in 1887 - but that is another story! It was an excellent dive on a most interesting and photogenic wreck and I studied my fellow passengers with interest. There was no doubt that morale was at rock bottom - despite the many brave faces on display. That night, we anchored at Bluff Point and enjoyed the delights of yet another night-dive on that very small wreck.

The following morning was Wednesday and, once again, the dawn was greeted with the deep-throated roar of the twin engines as they came to life. For almost an hour, Ali Baba, the Captain and myself discussed the possibility of returning to the Rosalie Moller before deciding against the idea. Strange as it may seem, even I was against it - but then, I was hatching another plan. In the meantime, it was full steam ahead for that veritable ship’s graveyard - Sha’b Abu Nuhas Reef. Already it was Wednesday and, this meant it was the last full day’s diving. With outgoing flights on the Friday, Thursdays are always limited - so we had to make the most of today. The first dive was a visit to the Greek freighter - Chrisoula K. Shane and I dropped down next to the rear mast and then visited the starboard gangway before rounding the stern to find the propeller. Entering the ship through a large tear through the port side we swam through one of the main holds above a cargo of Italian floor tiles. Eventually we came out on the starboard side and then made our way right up to the Bows before finally returning to base.

By the time breakfast was over, the Miss Nouran was positioned over the Carnatic and once again we were first in. This is another, quite outstanding example of what the Red Sea is able to offer - especially when you consider she went down 130 years ago this year. We even discovered a working porthole - though, for me it is the stern which provides the most photogenic aspect of this truly magnificent shipwreck..

The overall route of the Miss Nouran is something akin to a big circle - working her way from Hurghada during the first half of the week and then slowly back again during the latter part. Our last night at sea, therefore, was spent at Giftun island where we enjoyed a really fabulous night dive and encountered some very different creatures altogether - including a large sleeping Turtle. Thursday was a beautiful day and we were able to sample the delights of two more outstanding Reefs - Elsomaya and Abu Ramada before the Diving was complete. By this time we were back in radio range so I contacted Mohammed Reda - the local Manager of Diving World. I informed him of our discovery and, as my plan began to take shape, I emphasised the importance of the find to the Company and how I needed to return to the wreck. He then spoke with the Captain and Ali Baba before relaying our news and my request to London. The response took a little time, but when it came, it was just what was needed. After my second week of Diving was over I could have the Miss Nouran for three days to explore the Rosalie Moller! This was fantastic news - but better was to come. Firstly, I would be accompanied by the same Captain and Crew - and my diving partner would be Ali Baba. Then, Geof and Trudy extended their own holiday to join me - and if that was not enough, Chris and Peter decided that they would go back to the UK on schedule only to return one week later to make the Dive Team complete. Needless to say the Rosalie Moller was never very far from my thoughts during those days. Friday was Christmas Day - though I have never experienced such a non-Christmas in my life, and a very busy day it was too. A change of boat, new people to meet, another night on shore and, once again we were off. That journey, however, is another story and by New Year’s eve we were, once again, back in Hurghada and on New Year’s Day I was waiting to welcome old friends back onto the Miss Nouran.

By now, I had logged 42 dives and exposed over 60 rolls of film - but, more than anything else, I still had a date with a mast-head lamp. Geof and Trudy turned up - fresh from their week in the South and we swapped stories until Chris and Peter arrived. We were also made especially welcome by a crew who had become old friends - and took a great delight in sharing our excitement. This time, we had sufficient buoys and line. Chris and Peter had brought a number of reels and I had borrowed some other items from Divers met during the intervening week. We made a jablix from a water bottle and generally got everything ready. Once again, we departed on the Saturday morning just as soon as the vessel was refuelled. Although the weather had varied during the past fortnight, today it was perfect and the sea was like glass. Within two hours we were approaching the general area and, this time, we all knew what to do - the Captain was at the wheel with Ali Baba right beside him. Chris sat at the open window with the GPS, Geof manned the Decca and I looked for my compass bearings and made notes. Below us, Peter and Trudy were ready with jablix and buoys.

I noted down “search commenced 1255 hrs” but then everything happened so quickly I had no time for any more notes until I wrote down “Divers in at 1355 hrs!” It had taken us precisely one hour from commencing the search to putting the first pair in and, once again, this was Chris and Peter. They had a choice of two buoys and the one they selected was soon permanently secured to the stern of the Rosalie Moller. We then waited until they sent up a delayed SMB from the bows. This was the signal for the remaining two teams to go into action. Geof and Trudy, having recovered the spare buoy, fixed it to the bows - replacing the SMB. Having given them a generous head-start, Ali Baba and I then followed them down - he with the mooring line - which he again fixed to the forward anchor chains, and me with my camera. As we descended, I suddenly saw Peter’s masthead lamp - just as he had described, sitting proudly on top of the forward mast and it really did become the first photograph I took.

There are wonderful diving holidays to experience especially Indonesia diving and South Africa diving. To find out more please visit http://www.divingworld.co.uk/.

The cargo, however, was insured and being of such great value (the equivalent of several million pounds by today’s standards), Lloyd’s immediately dispatched Captain Henry Grant to take charge of a salvage operation. On arrival in Suez - and with only one Diver available to him, Grant was informed that the Carnatic had sunk in over 40 fathoms (over 70m!) and later admitted he almost turned back. Having come this far, however, he decided the least he could do - was take a look.

He arrived at the scene on 29th September and, chasing away some local Arab boats, was heartened to find the Carnatic in quite shallow water at the bottom of a Reef with some of her features still visible above the surface.

Working from the Egyptian vessel “Tor,” Grant’s one and only Diver was Stephen Saffrey from Whitstable (a name still common in that town) but, adverse weather conditions delayed his first descent until 15th October. Grant had been informed that, in readiness for an “orderly” evacuation, Captain Jones had ordered the specie moved to the Mail Room and this is where the search began. A body was recovered, mail bags were sent to the surface and pocket watches removed from the safe, but no gold.

Next to the “Mail” Room, was a “Post Office” but this necessitated the removal of a large internal bulkhead which separated the two. Working for long hours on his own, this task took Saffrey several days. Finally, he was through and, on the 24th recovered another 16 mail bags - just in time for them to be handed to a passing steamer and resume their own journey to Bombay.

The first box of bullion was then brought to the surface on the 26th and this was followed by a steady stream of heavy boxes until the task was completed on November 8th. In the meantime, local Bedouin free Divers had recovered over 700 sheets of fine-grade copper that was still destined for India’s Mint. Official reports record that the entire cargo of “specie” was in fact recovered and, having been found in a very secure and undisturbed part of the ship, no other outcome was ever likely.

That said, we all enjoy stories of “missing treasure” and the Carnatic has spawned one or two of its own such tales over the years. Today, however, the real treasure is found the vessel’s beautiful lines - still a magnificent sight, even after almost 130 years underwater.

There are excellent diving holidays to experience especially when diving in the Maldives. To find out more please visit http://www.divingworld.co.uk/