Looking Through The Clan

This image has been 122 years in the making, 113 of those quietly resting on the sea floor off the South Australian York Peninsula. Forty souls lost their lives that fateful night back in 1909, more than two thirds of her crew.

The SS Clan Ranald is one of my all time favourite South Australian dives. Even today her substantial bulk remains creating a significant underwater habitat for local marine life. Here in this image the still intact boiler looms to the left while the hull structure to the right rises more than six meters from the bottom.

Every time I dive here I am surprised and delighted by the marine life that have made her their home. Blue devils, dusky morwongs, queen snapper, long snout boarfish, harlequin fish, leatherjackets, bullseyes, magpie perch, silver drummer, yellowtail whiting, sweep, talma and the list goes on. It is not uncommon to see all of these on every dive.

The wreck of the SS Clan Ranald is an exciting and humbling dive. She takes a bit of boating prowess to reach her but worth the effort and I cherish every time I get to dive her.

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