Type:   Type VIIA German U-boat

Wreck Information:    German submarine U33 is a Type VIIIa. Built by Keil Shipyard, Germany and Launched July 1936. The U33 had left Wilhelmshaven on 5th February 1940 under Kapitanleutnant Hans Von Dresky and a crew of Forty. Her daring, almost suicidal task which had been ordered by Hitler himself, was to lay mines in one of the Allies most valuable seaways, the River Clyde. They arrived in the Clyde on the 12th February 1940. HMS Gleaner a Royal Navy minesweeper in patrol on the Clyde that night and made hydrophone contact with the submarine. After three depth charge runs the submarine was brought to the surface. The crew in the conning tower surrendered but had to jump into the sea when the submarine exploded after it's preset dynamite charges exploded scuttling it. The submarine was sunk five miles south of Pladda.

Cargo:     None except the enigma machine

Travel & Parking directions:    Troon - in the marina Dunure on the road down to the pier.   

Distance from harbour:  From Troon its a 37 km forty minute RIB ride to the wreck.   From Dunure which has a public slip, its a 24 km, 25 minute RIB ride to the wreck.    Inverkip  33 miles.

Lat & Long:    55.21.483N / 005.01.683W

Chart:   Chart 2126, Approaches to the Firth of Clyde

Depth:    60m 

Tides: .  Tide Tables

Dive boat:    Clyde dive charters @ Inverkip

Dive Shop:   C+C @ Largs marina

Accommodation:     

Suggested experience:     Trimix open circuit / Trimix Rebreather 

Other comments:   Tide dependant dive in reduced visibility.

Pub:     Inverkip Marina

Created by:     John Nicolson 

Date:     30/4/07

Revision:   2

Thanks To:    

Links:    Link

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

Dive Report:    John Nicolson 06   After a long trip on a rhib I saw the outline of the U33 on the fish finder, we dropped the anchor and got kitted up. Dropping down the anchor line to 60m and following the line to the anchor I was disappointed only to see a trough along the seabed where the anchor had dragged. I followed the trough for a few mins against the current, but with side slings it was hard going so I gave up and sent up a blob and did my deco.