About the Damage

 

When dive boats first starting visiting the Thistlegorm they would moor using ropes, although still causing damage to the wreck by tearing and breaking things in rough weather.  However due to the ageing of the wreck and its metal structure many parts of the wreck are sharp and cut through the ropes used to moor on them.  In recent years dive operators have taken to using wire lines wrapped around or put through any hooking point on the wreck, these wires saw through the sheet metal and wear through parts of the wreck at an alarming rate, with every wave that passes on the surface the wires pull tight cutting their way through.

 

With no moorings around the wreck the boats have little options of where to moor, there are a few parts which boats can moor to that are stronger and would cause less damage to the wreck such as the prop shaft, this even survived the blast and due to the nature of it is certainly a sturdy part to moor too.  The other obvious place is the cleats on the bow of the ship which would have been used when it was in service to moor to the dock.  Although not naturally designed to withstand vertical strains it is a part better suited to mooring to then most other parts.

 

Below are some photos showing where we have documented boats mooring to the wreck, also the damage caused by this action, some of these are distressing and in many cases mind blowingly disrespectful and thoughtless.