Also known as: Thesis
Small but full of surprises, the Thesis has a story unlike any other wreck in the Sound of Mull. This iron screw steamer went down in October 1889 carrying pig iron, and for decades she lay forgotten on a sloping shingle seabed. In the 1970s, salvors arrived not for treasure but for her hull plates — pre-nuclear iron, free from the background radiation that contaminated all steel produced after the first atomic tests. That salvage stripped her bare, but in doing so it created an unusually open wreck where framework ribs, deck beams and cargo holds are all exposed to exploration. The pig iron remains scattered throughout. Sitting upright on her keel between 14 and 32 metres, she offers an intimate, manageable dive that pairs perfectly with the bigger wrecks nearby. Dive at slack water for the best experience.
Ran onto reef at Rubha an Ridire (Inninmore Point) in poor visibility while carrying pig iron from Middlesbrough to Belfast. Sank approximately four hours later. No casualties recorded.
SS Thesis is a cargo vessel wreck located off Argyll, United Kingdom at a depth of 32 metres. The vessel was lost due to grounding in 1889. The wreck is diveable.
SS Thesis lies at 14 to 32 metres depth, Sound of Mull, southern end, off Rubha an Ridire (Inninmore Point).
SS Thesis ran aground on 1 October 1889, off Argyll, United Kingdom.
Diving the SS Thesis is rated intermediate and is suitable for divers with an Advanced Open Water certification or equivalent. Minimum certification: PADI Open Water / BSAC Ocean Diver. Recommended: PADI AOWD / BSAC Sports Diver.
The best months to dive SS Thesis are May, June, July, August, September. Water temperature ranges from 7°C in winter to 14°C in summer.
SS Thesis is accessed by boat from Lochaline, Argyll, United Kingdom.
| Month | Temp | Visibility | Access | Marine life |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 7.0°C | 5.0m | poor | Minimal — winter conditions |
| Feb | 7.0°C | 5.0m | poor | Minimal — winter conditions |
| Mar | 7.5°C | 6.0m | poor | Minimal — winter conditions |
| Apr | 8.5°C | 7.0m | marginal | Moderate — season starting |
| May | 10.0°C | 8.0m | good | Good — wrasse, pollock, anemones, soft corals |
| Jun | 11.5°C | 10.0m | good | Good — wrasse, pollock, anemones, soft corals |
| Jul | 13.0°C | 13.0m | good | Peak — seals, large shoals, nudibranchs, plumose anemones |
| Aug | 14.0°C | 15.0m | good | Peak — seals, large shoals, nudibranchs, plumose anemones |
| Sep | 13.0°C | 12.0m | good | Good — wrasse, pollock, anemones, soft corals |
| Oct | 11.0°C | 8.0m | marginal | Good — wrasse, pollock, anemones, soft corals |
| Nov | 9.0°C | 6.0m | poor | Minimal — winter conditions |
| Dec | 8.0°C | 5.0m | poor | Minimal — winter conditions |
2 evidence records from 2 sources.
Iron screw steamer, ran onto reef at Rubha an Ridire in poor visibility, October 1889. Carrying pig iron. Hull plates salvaged in 1970s for low-radiation steel.
Upright on keel on sloping shingle seabed. Hull plates removed in 1970s, exposing framework and holds.
Sound of Mull, southern end, off Rubha an Ridire (Inninmore Point)