WELLINGTON, New Zealand (4 Nov 2005) -- New Zealand has many shipwreck diving sites but until now Wellington has not been prominent among them. But that's about to change. Weather permitting, on November 12 a decommissioned Naval frigate previously known as HMNZS Wellington, will be scuttled off Tapa Te Rangu Island, near Wellington Airport. Now called simply F69, it will become an artificial marine reef and dive attraction for visitors from home and overseas. The new role comes after 36 years' service with the Royal Navy and the Royal New Zealand Navy. F69, a 3.084-tonne, 113m-long ship was launched by the Royal Navy in 1969 as HMS Bacchante, transferring in 1983 to the Royal New Zealand Navy which renamed it HMNZS Wellington. In Royal Navy service, it sailed throughout Europe, and to destinations including North Africa, the Persian Gulf, North and South America and the Caribbean. Its assignments included sea rescues, support activities in the Falklands War and even tracking a stricken Russian submarine from Scotland to Norway. With the Royal New Zealand Navy it sailed throughout New Zealand, Australia, the Pacific Islands, Southeast and North Asia and the Maldives. Its NZ activities ranged from medivac and rescue operations to fishing protection, cyclone relief, and taking part in Australia's Bicentennial Navy salute in 1988. It was decommissioned in 1999, and is today moored at Wellington's Taranaki Wharf, outside the national museum Te Papa Tongarewa. | | "The F69 reef will add an exciting new dimension to our tourism inventory, and will offer a new destination to the international dive market," said Chris Lamers, General Manager Marketing for Positively Wellington Tourism. "The location for the reef has been chosen because of the generally clear water in the area which is already popular with local divers." "It will be very accessible for commercial sightseeing, and close enough to the city centre for half-day tours, as part of a broader itinerary. "The F69 reef will be environmentally sustainable and beneficial to the local marine ecosystem." Elsewhere, New Zealand has literally hundreds of scuba diving sites with over 15,000 km of coast line and numerous lakes and rivers. Coastal waters teem with colourful, fascinating sea life and the usually clear waters make for excellent viewing of shipwrecks, sub-tropical reefs, clear water springs and fjords. Sites include the Poor Knights Islands Marine Reserve, the Bay of Islands, the fjords of South Island Stewart Island. |
