Meet the site
The SS Cities Service Boston is Bass Point's most dramatic piece of history. Built in 1921 by Bethlehem Shipbuilding at Sparrows Point, Maryland, as the SS Agwipond and renamed in 1929, she was a steam tanker about 146 m long. On 16 May 1943, sailing in convoy towards Melbourne in heavy seas, driving rain and nil visibility, she ran onto the rocks at Bass Point at about 5.45 am.
The rescue became a local legend. Soldiers of the 6th Machine Gun Battalion, stationed nearby, rigged lines and a bosun's chair and brought the entire crew ashore, but about twelve soldiers were washed into the sea during the operation and four died. The ship's crew later received the US Soldier's Medal in recognition. A memorial overlooks the site.
After the war the hull was cut up for scrap and the steel carried to the Port Kembla furnaces, so little remains. What is left – two boilers, engine pieces including part of the crankshaft, and scattered hull plating – lies in shallow water on the rock platform edge, heavily worn by the surf. This is not a wreck to explore in any structural sense; it is a historical site where the boilers and debris tell the story, surrounded by typical kelp and boulder reef with groper, drummer and leatherjackets. It is only diveable on flat days, and the combination of surge, sharp metal and the exposed location means it suits experienced shore divers who can judge conditions. The site sits beside Bushrangers Bay, so it can be viewed from the headland even when the sea is too rough.
Research this site before booking Stored site notes may be historical. These questions highlight gaps without turning old instructions into a current dive plan.
SS Cities Service Boston is recorded as Wreck in Wollongong & Kiama. The listed access is shore or boat. Confirm the actual meeting point, route and permission to visit; a map pin does not establish any of these.
Topics flagged by the stored research
These are questions prompted by the existing notes, not a verified or complete hazard assessment.
- Water movement
- Ask how swell and local exposure affect the proposed entry, exit and route.
Historical access notes exist for this record, but have not been independently verified for current use. Request current directions from the operator or site manager rather than following an old entry description.
Questions, answered
Is SS Cities Service Boston suitable for my certification?
The record lists Open Water. That does not establish suitability for every route or day. Share your training, recent experience and equipment needs with the operator and ask about the specific proposed dive.
Can I book SS Cities Service Boston through YouDive?
YouDive is an independent research directory. Contact an operator directly to confirm whether it currently runs the trip, the inclusions and the booking terms.
What you might see
Blue groper, drummer, luderick, leatherjackets, kelp reef fish, sea urchins
Location
Scattered remains of a 146 m American tanker wrecked on Bass Point in a storm in 1943; boilers, engine parts and hull plating in shallow surge-swept water.
Facilities nearby
Bass Point Reserve: toilets, picnic tables and grassed gear-up areas, no fresh water or barbecues (bring your own); reserve gate may close on total fire ban days. Air fills at Shellharbour Scuba and Photography Centre (Shellharbour Village).
Before you make plans
Conditions, access and operator schedules can change. This is a location guide, not a dive plan. Ask a local operator about current conditions and suitability for your training and experience.
Sources & further reading
michaelmcfadyenscuba.infoen.wikipedia.orgRecord updated 26 Sept 2026. Source claims are being reviewed.
