Also known as: Kyarra, HMHS Kyarra
No wreck off the English coast has welcomed more divers than the Kyarra. Built on the Clyde in 1903 as a luxury liner for the Australian run, she carried 286 passengers in considerable comfort before the Great War requisitioned her as a hospital ship tasked with evacuating wounded troops. On 26 May 1918, heading for Plymouth to collect a thousand injured Australians, a torpedo from UB-57 struck amidships and sent her to the bottom a mile off Anvil Point. Six men died. Discovered in the late 1960s and now owned by Kingston and Elmbridge BSAC, she lies between 18 and 30 metres in waters that regularly deliver good Dorset visibility. Thousands of divers visit each year, yet her 127-metre hull absorbs the traffic easily. The boilers, engine room and stern section are highlights, and the marine life — from nudibranchs to cuttlefish — is outstanding for a Channel wreck.
Torpedoed amidships on the port side by UB-57 (Oberleutnant Johannes Lohs) while serving as a casualty-clearing hospital ship. Six crew were killed. She was en route to Plymouth to collect 1,000 wounded Australian soldiers for repatriation when the torpedo struck.
SS Kyarra is a passenger liner wreck located off Dorset, United Kingdom at a depth of 30 metres. The vessel was lost due to torpedo in 1918. The wreck is diveable.
SS Kyarra lies at 18 to 30 metres depth, Approximately 2 miles from Swanage Pier, 1 mile off Anvil Point, Dorset.
SS Kyarra was torpedoed on 26 May 1918 during World War I, off Dorset, United Kingdom. 6 people lost their lives.
Diving the SS Kyarra is rated intermediate and is suitable for divers with an Advanced Open Water certification or equivalent. Minimum certification: PADI AOWD / BSAC Sports Diver. Recommended: PADI AOWD / BSAC Sports Diver.
The best months to dive SS Kyarra are April, May, June, July, August, September, October. Water temperature ranges from 7°C in winter to 18°C in summer.
SS Kyarra is accessed by boat from Swanage, Dorset, United Kingdom.
| Month | Temp | Visibility | Access | Marine life |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 7.0°C | 4.0m | poor | Minimal — winter conditions |
| Feb | 7.5°C | 4.0m | poor | Minimal — winter conditions |
| Mar | 8.0°C | 5.0m | marginal | Minimal — winter conditions |
| Apr | 9.5°C | 6.0m | good | Moderate — season starting |
| May | 11.0°C | 8.0m | good | Good — cuttlefish, wrasse, pollack, nudibranchs |
| Jun | 13.5°C | 12.0m | good | Good — cuttlefish, wrasse, pollack, nudibranchs |
| Jul | 16.0°C | 16.0m | good | Peak — cuttlefish, large shoals, conger eels, nudibranchs, bass |
| Aug | 18.0°C | 20.0m | good | Peak — cuttlefish, large shoals, conger eels, nudibranchs, bass |
| Sep | 17.0°C | 15.0m | good | Good — cuttlefish, wrasse, pollack, nudibranchs |
| Oct | 14.0°C | 8.0m | good | Good — wrasse, pollack |
| Nov | 10.5°C | 6.0m | marginal | Minimal — winter conditions |
| Dec | 8.5°C | 4.0m | poor | Minimal — winter conditions |
3 evidence records from 3 sources.
18m top of wreck to 30m seabed. ~2 miles from Swanage Pier, 1 mile off Anvil Point.
Luxury passenger/cargo liner, later hospital ship. Torpedoed by UB-57, 26 May 1918. 6 crew killed. En route to Plymouth to collect 1,000 wounded Australian soldiers.
Considered the most dived shipwreck off the English coast. Discovered late 1960s by Kingston and Elmbridge BSAC.
Approximately 2 miles from Swanage Pier, 1 mile off Anvil Point, Dorset