Also known as: Mohegan
The most intensively dived wreck on Cornwall's notorious Manacles reef, the Mohegan's story remains one of British maritime history's enduring puzzles. She was barely six months old when she ploughed onto Vase Rock in October 1898, killing 106 passengers and crew on what should have been a routine Atlantic crossing. No one has ever convincingly explained why the ship was so far off course. Today her boilers rise from 22 metres as the centrepiece of a richly colonised underwater landscape, while the skeletal hull frames create a striking grid that draws photographers from across the UK. The site splits naturally into two dives — the boiler section and the bow area — and the surrounding reef teems with life that makes any bottom time spent waiting for slack water utterly worthwhile.
Ran onto the Manacles reef (Vase Rock / Maen Voes) while en route Tilbury to New York. The Atlantic Transport Line vessel deviated inexplicably from her course. Of 161 aboard, only 55 survived. The cause of the fatal course change was never satisfactorily explained at the subsequent inquiry.
SS Mohegan is a passenger liner wreck located off Cornwall, United Kingdom at a depth of 26 metres. The vessel was lost due to grounding in 1898. The wreck is diveable.
SS Mohegan lies at 16 to 26 metres depth, Manacles reef, off Porthkerris and Coverack, Lizard Peninsula.
SS Mohegan ran aground on 14 October 1898, off Cornwall, United Kingdom. 106 people lost their lives.
Diving the SS Mohegan is rated intermediate and is suitable for divers with an Advanced Open Water certification or equivalent. Minimum certification: Open Water. Recommended: Advanced Open Water.
The best months to dive SS Mohegan are May, June, July, August, September. Water temperature ranges from 9°C in winter to 18°C in summer.
SS Mohegan is accessed by boat from Falmouth, Cornwall, United Kingdom.
| Month | Temp | Visibility | Access | Marine life |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 9.0°C | 5.0m | poor | Minimal — winter conditions |
| Feb | 9.0°C | 5.0m | poor | Minimal — winter conditions |
| Mar | 9.5°C | 6.0m | poor | Minimal — winter conditions |
| Apr | 10.5°C | 8.0m | marginal | Moderate — season opening |
| May | 12.0°C | 12.0m | good | Good — wrasse, pollock, cuttlefish, anemones |
| Jun | 14.0°C | 15.0m | good | Good — wrasse, pollock, cuttlefish, blue sharks offshore |
| Jul | 16.0°C | 18.0m | good | Peak — basking sharks, blue sharks, sunfish, seals |
| Aug | 18.0°C | 20.0m | good | Peak — basking sharks, blue sharks, sunfish, seals |
| Sep | 17.0°C | 15.0m | good | Good — wrasse, pollock, cuttlefish, anemones |
| Oct | 14.0°C | 10.0m | marginal | Moderate — season closing |
| Nov | 11.0°C | 7.0m | poor | Minimal — winter conditions |
| Dec | 10.0°C | 5.0m | poor | Minimal — winter conditions |
3 evidence records from 3 sources.
Depth range 16-24m, boilers at ~22m. Two distinct dive areas.
Ran onto the Manacles reef while en route Tilbury to New York. 106 of 161 aboard died.
Atlantic Transport Line passenger-cargo steamer wrecked on the Manacles 14 October 1898. 106 lives lost.
Manacles reef, off Porthkerris and Coverack, Lizard Peninsula