Star of Scotland

The Star of Scotland is a historic wreck lying approximately 20.6 metres (68 feet) deep a couple of miles off the Santa Monica Pier in Santa Monica Bay, southern California. She began life as HMS Mistletoe, launched on 22 April 1918, and was a fast steam-powered vessel measuring 262 feet by 35 feet whose crew could quickly alter her appearance, earning her the nickname "Mystery Ship." After World War One she changed hands and roles several times — serving as a survey vessel, a fruit cargo hauler, and a floating gambling ship — before being leased, renamed the Star of Scotland, and converted to a fishing barge with her propellers removed. A combination of needed repairs and a severe storm sent her to the bottom on 23 January 1942, where she has rested ever since.

Visibility at the site ranges from 3–5 metres (10–15 feet) on an average day and can open up to 12–18 metres (40–60 feet) on a good day. The wreck retains a great deal of structure to explore, making it a rewarding dive when conditions cooperate.

Divers should stay alert to the site's known hazards: fishing line, old nets, and sharp metal are all present on the wreck. The site is well suited to wreck specialty training as well as already-certified wreck and deep divers; it is accessed by boat from ports between Santa Monica and Long Beach.