Joys of wrecks... the former HMAS Adelaide is a popular artificial reef.
A scuttled navy warship on the central coast has become a thrilling scuba site. Michelle Wranik heads for a cabin.
Silent,abandoned and unearthly,a shipwreck can be a"holy grail"of underwater exploration. Legendary ocean explorer Jacques-Yves Cousteau has spoken of feeling"enraptured"when exploring a sunken ship."The mixture of life and death is mysterious,even religious,"he is quoted as saying as far back as 1960."There is the same sense of peace and mood that you feel on entering a cathedral."
Although it doesn't have the history of a World War II warship,the former Australian navy frigate HMAS Adelaide was in service for several decades - in the Middle East;on peacekeeping operations in East Timor;and sent to the aid of solo round-the-world yachtsmen Tony Bullimore and Thierry Dubois.
The vessel was scuttled on April 13 last year,creating a thrilling scuba site off Avoca-Terrigal on the NSW central coast. It didn't sink quietly:a"No Ship Action Group"led by local residents campaigned against the move,concerned the ship would pollute the ocean with heavy metal and debris.
But there is no denying the wreck has boosted aquatic life and undergone a"remarkable transformation",secretary of the Central Coast Artificial Reef Project,Sue Dengate,says. The Adelaide is now an artificial reef teeming with life.
Central Coast Tourism permits 60 divers a day to access the Adelaide and the site attracts enthusiasts from around Australia and abroad. A permit costs $18 a person. On the morning I dive the site with Pro-Dive Central Coast,one of two operators with access rights,I'm among a group of nine welcomed aboard a rigid-hull inflatable called the Snappy Tom.
The director of Pro-Dive,Bob Diaz,says there are dozens of ways to explore Adelaide's four lower levels and three upper decks. Much of the equipment was removed before scuttling but intriguing relics remain,including the ship's torpedo storage racks.
On the bridge is the captain's chair and a telephone handset still attached by a cord to its receiver."If you want to make any complaints,best use that phone,"Diaz quips.
His booming laugh and relaxed manner put our group at ease,although wreck diving,with its maze-like disorientation and tight spaces,isn't for the faint-hearted. Divers must be certified with at least six dives before applying for a permit and even advanced divers might find the experience unnerving."I'm expecting a skeleton to fall out when I open a door,"one diver in our group laughs. My dive buddy and I take Diaz's advice,play it safe and decide to stick to the ship's exterior and upper decks on our first dive.