TRAVELSPECIAL
Exploring a Helles Barge
Superstructure on HMS Majestic
the soldiers instantly and causing both craft to sink . They both lie upright in 26 metres some 30 metres apart .
That afternoon we had our first dive on the iconic battleship HMS Majestic , just a short distance away . Launched in 1895 , Winston Churchill considered that the Majestic was too old to be of any use in WW1 . Other officials changed his mind and she went to the region in February 1915 . The Majestic was anchored close to shore at Seddulbahir , protected by several other vessels . She was spotted by the German submarine U21 , which launched a torpedo striking the Majestic in the boilers . The 15,000 ton battleship sank in just seven minutes . The vessel lies in 28 metres . One striking thing about the wreck is the large number of shells lying around . The Turkish authorities , concerned about the security of the wreck and visiting divers have installed an array of CCTV cameras along the hull .
The weather had been windy since we arrived but the following day it was approaching gale force . We needed somewhere sheltered to dive and it was agreed that we would go to the lee of Bozcaada Island to find the wreck of the Eleni . This was a ferry that struck a mine and now lies at 29m . Visibility was poor and
Bow of the Eleni
Munitions and plates on the Majestic
56
Railings on the Majestic