The Dronning Maud

Photo: Espen Rekdal Photo: Espen Rekdal

The Dronning Maud
Depth: 28–40m
68º 41.917’N 017º26.367’E
Position: 300m out from Foldvik docks

Back in 1924, the Norwegian Shipping Line found itself short of vessels when two of its coastal steamers slammed into each other. The solution was to commission the building of Dronning Maud (which means Queen Maud), the first Norwegian liner to be equipped with radio. As war broke out in Norway, she was hurriedly converted for use as a hospital ship. It was said that this was done without going through the proper Red Cross Channels, so Germany saw the vessel as a legitimate target.

On 1 May 1940 Dronning Maud was transporting a medical unit to the front at Narvik when she was attacked by German seaplanes – despite being marked with the Red Cross. Bombs struck the bridge and a violent fire spread across the ship. She burned through the night and sank the following morning.

Today, Dronning Maud sits straight and upright, just as a queen should. There is usually a buoy attached to the front mast or chimney, so the wreck is relatively easy to find. The ideal dive will see you descend down the front mast and swim towards the stern, where you’ll see the brass typhoon and chimney reaching up from the rubble behind what used to be the bridge (there’s just a crater there today). You can still see signs of the fierce heat that must have blasted the ship during the explosions and fire: along the ship’s side you’ll even find melted glass in the brass portholes.

Continue towards the stern and you can peer down into the cabins and rooms that were exposed when the roof was burned away. Just before you get to the stern itself, you can make out the frame and engine blocks of the medical unit’s three trucks protruding through the mud. On the starboard side you’ll find one of the lifeboats.

The rounded stern is one of the most interesting parts of the wreck. It still has its smart bench where tourists would have taken a seat to enjoy their voyage around the coast, and there’s an emergency steering wheel to enjoy. If you move towards the bow from the steering house, you’ll find the more intact sections of the ship. The bow is very imposing, and the temptation to do a bad impersonation of Kate Winslet at the bow of the Titanic may be too much to resist!

Again, the wreck is surprisingly intact when you consider its history. Still, penetration diving is a big risk here. Fire, bombs and 60 years on the bottom have not done ‘Queen Maud’ any favours – there has been at least one accident involving a diver unwisely venturing inside. The fact is that she is an old, battered lady and parts of her could collapse at any time, so be careful.