Picture:

Wreck Information:  The 378-ton Thesis left Middlesbrough in October 1889 bound for her home port of Belfast with a cargo of pig iron.  To avoid stormy waters she took a short cut through the Sound of Mull. She was an iron built cargo vessel constructed in Belfast by McIlwain, Lewis and Co. and launched in January 1887. Some of her forward hull plating was probably lost in the original wrecking incident in 1889, but more plates have fallen away from her ribs since that date. The loss of large sections of her iron skin allows light to stream into the vessel, and gives the wreck a magical quality. She measured 167 feet in length, with a beam of 25 feet and a draught of 11.7 feet.  She had four holds two forward and two astern.  In the centre of the vessel, only half below the main and only deck was her boiler and just aft of that her engine housed within wooden deck houses. 

Harbour / slip:   Loch Aline and Oban

Travel & Parking directions:       Lochaline follow the A82 Glasgow to Fort William road as far as the turnoff marked Corran ferry 8 miles south west of Fort William. As you leave the ferry, turn left onto the A861 following the signs for Strontian. Turn left off the A861 just before Strontian for the A884, signposted to Lochaline   Car Park Lochaline pier      Oban - end of pier or leaving oban heading north on the steep hill to the right is a free car park takes 10 mins to walk back to the pier.                                   

Distance from harbour:   4 miles from Lochaline and 9 miles from Oban

Lat & Long: 56 29.932 N, 5 41.515W     WGS 84    Close to Rubha an ridire or Inninmore point. 

Chart:    Chart 2171, Sound of Mull and Approaches

Depth:  30-35m

Tides:  Tide tables  Slack water is one hour before high or low water Oban, It is not essential for diving the Thesis  

Suggested experience:  Sport diver  

Dive Boat:  Silver swift    Brendan    Peregrine    Sound diver   Gannet  

Dive Shop:    Loch aline dive centre    Puffin divers                  

Accommodation:    The best place to stay to do the SS Thesis is the Loch aline dive centre half way up the sound of Mull. They have air, nitrox, trimix and accommodation   Self catering   Morvern Dive Lodge

Other comments:   Great scenic dive as the hull is almost intact except for the outer plates which lets the natural light into 90% of the wreck. It lies over to port on a rock and gravel seabed. The Thesis was found by local scallop divers Mike Campbell and Richard Grieve. 

Pub:                            The Mishnish     Lochaline social club 

Created by:               John Nicolson 

Date:                           30/4/07 

Thanks To:                

Underwater photos:    By Keith Waugh

Wreck diagram:     This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it

Dive Report:        This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it