My first boat dive and my first wreck dive in New Zealand. We launched the boat out of Owhiro Bay just a minute down the road from Dive Wellington. The dive boat is a cosy fit for 8 divers and the captain but it's a sturdy vessel, which was necessary by the end of our second dive of the morning.

The HMNZS Wellington (F69) was a Leander class frigate of the Royal Navy and the Royal New Zealand Navy (RNZN). Originally commissioned in 1969 for the Royal Navy as HMS Bacchante, she joined the RNZN in 1982. She was decommissioned in 1999 and deliberately sunk in 2005 off the south coast of Wellington, New Zealand, in Houghton Bay, just east of Island Bay, Wellington. The wreck was split into 2 major pieces during a storm in 2006.

We dove the aft section on our first dive of the morning. The wreck is pretty much entirely covered in kelp.

F69

F69

There were a few other interesting things growing on the wreck too.

Sea creature

The cod we're also out to play. They definitely aren't shy and a lot of them like to get right in your face, which I find very entertaining. As my dive buddy remarked, they almost behave like puppy dogs. in the video below, one even nipped him on the cheek!

Blue cod

Cod dogs

Blue cod at play

Blue cod

After spending 40 minutes we ascended to a swell that was starting to pick up but still wasn't too bad.

 

Location: Wellington, Houghton Bay, New Zealand

Dive Number:   124 Bottom Time: 41m Time In: 9:10 a.m. Tank In: Max Depth: 66.00 ft Table Used:

Mix:   Air Safety Stop: 3m Time Out: 9:51 a.m. Tank Out: Average Depth: 54.00 ft Start Pressure Group:

Surface Interval:   End Pressure Group:

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