14 November 2005
By TIM PANKHURST
It took just one minute 50 seconds to sink HMNZS Wellington in the waters off Island Bay.
Tens of thousands (And me & my little girl) lined the shores around the southern bays yesterday and stood on hilltops to see the former navy frigate scuttled as a dive attraction.
Hundreds more watched from 236 craft – according to the harbourmaster's count – of all shapes and sizes surrounding the grey hulk.
With a crump of explosives and a ball of orange flame the ship settled by the bow, listed alarmingly to port, and promptly sank.
But it was a textbook sinking and the ship is sitting upright on hard sand, 20 metres deep, with its bow pointing into Cook Strait swells.
Spectator Graham Clarke said the experience was worth it, despite getting stuck in traffic. "It was certainly once in a lifetime."
He had watched from Island Bay. "I thought we wouldn't see much at all . . . When I saw it, my god, the explosions and the shock wave, you could feel it through the house."
The first to dive on F69 after police had given the all-clear was Wellington Mayor Kerry Prendergast. She began training for her dive ticket in July in 10-degree water. Yesterday the water had warmed to 13 degrees but it is still a far cry from Fiji's warm waters where she has just holidayed.
The visibility was a surprisingly good six metres and the bridge could be seen from the surface.
The Dominion Post also joined the first dive party, along with National Geographic, which had four cameras placed on the ship to record the blast and sinking for an upcoming documentary.
The first recreational divers were on the wreck just on dusk.
"You've got a world-class wreck here," said Marco Zeeman, the driving force behind the project. "Make the most of it."
He has worked largely voluntarily for six years to bring the Wellington to its final resting place and yesterday was "a very special moment".
The ship was towed to the site at dawn yesterday, gale-force northerlies having forced its cancellation on Saturday.
Project manager Graeme Anderson was a little confused on marine radio. "I'm at a loss what to call myself. I was F69 (Wellington's designation) but I'm not here any more."
Within weeks the first barnacles and weed will appear and the ship will be a haven for fish and rock lobster.
"Goodbye, faithful servant," military chaplain Colonel Julian Wagg said in delivering the last rites.
But the Wellington lives on – as a premier tourist attraction in the peaceful embrace of the sea.
By TIM PANKHURST
It took just one minute 50 seconds to sink HMNZS Wellington in the waters off Island Bay.
Tens of thousands (And me & my little girl) lined the shores around the southern bays yesterday and stood on hilltops to see the former navy frigate scuttled as a dive attraction.
Hundreds more watched from 236 craft – according to the harbourmaster's count – of all shapes and sizes surrounding the grey hulk.
With a crump of explosives and a ball of orange flame the ship settled by the bow, listed alarmingly to port, and promptly sank.
But it was a textbook sinking and the ship is sitting upright on hard sand, 20 metres deep, with its bow pointing into Cook Strait swells.
Spectator Graham Clarke said the experience was worth it, despite getting stuck in traffic. "It was certainly once in a lifetime."
He had watched from Island Bay. "I thought we wouldn't see much at all . . . When I saw it, my god, the explosions and the shock wave, you could feel it through the house."
The first to dive on F69 after police had given the all-clear was Wellington Mayor Kerry Prendergast. She began training for her dive ticket in July in 10-degree water. Yesterday the water had warmed to 13 degrees but it is still a far cry from Fiji's warm waters where she has just holidayed.
The visibility was a surprisingly good six metres and the bridge could be seen from the surface.
The Dominion Post also joined the first dive party, along with National Geographic, which had four cameras placed on the ship to record the blast and sinking for an upcoming documentary.
The first recreational divers were on the wreck just on dusk.
"You've got a world-class wreck here," said Marco Zeeman, the driving force behind the project. "Make the most of it."
He has worked largely voluntarily for six years to bring the Wellington to its final resting place and yesterday was "a very special moment".
The ship was towed to the site at dawn yesterday, gale-force northerlies having forced its cancellation on Saturday.
Project manager Graeme Anderson was a little confused on marine radio. "I'm at a loss what to call myself. I was F69 (Wellington's designation) but I'm not here any more."
Within weeks the first barnacles and weed will appear and the ship will be a haven for fish and rock lobster.
"Goodbye, faithful servant," military chaplain Colonel Julian Wagg said in delivering the last rites.
But the Wellington lives on – as a premier tourist attraction in the peaceful embrace of the sea.
One of the nice things about it is that you'll be able to see her as you fly in to the airport.
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