Depart: Teignmouth

Boat: Seaquest

Type: 60m Wreck Dive

The Rotorua 1 was huge liner/steamship. On 1/2/1917 she sailed from  Wellington to Plymouth carrying 5,600 tonnes of general cargo and 238 passengers. On 21/3/1917 her passengers landed in Plymouth and she sailed again on the 22/3/1917. Whilst off Start Point at approx 17:45 making 13 knots she was torpedoed, perhaps by UC-17, she sank after 35 mins with the loss of 1 life, a steward who fell overboard whilst abandoning the stricken vessel.

She now lies in 60+m of water in Lyme bay, she is spreadover a large area in 3 or 4 distinct parts, each of which is substantial. We have found many portholes layed on the seabed leading us to believe that the part of the vessel we have been diving is rarely if dived at all.

Minimum Qualification: Tec (or Equivilent)