Hi, thought I would just post this link to a video I shot today of the wreck MV Rena. This has been in a state of removal and clearance for the past 4 years following a grounding on an offshore reef out from Tauranga, New Zealand. The salvage operators have almost got it to a point that they consider it clear for recreational divers to start diving it. The Mount Underwater Dive Club have been involved with the Insurers of the vessel in applying for a resource consent to leave it as a wreck and as part of that process I was invited as a club member to dive on it today. Hope you enjoy.
Hope you enjoy.
Looking good, wish they had left more of the wreck for us but I 'm keen for a dive on it.
How was the marine life? after two years of no fishing it would have bounced back to a healthy level. Any word on making the area a Marine Reserve before every man and his rod go out and strip the place.
Cheers
Alex
Awesome! That was a great place to dive before it had a wreck on it and I had been in two minds about whether they should leave it there or make the company take it off, but seeing your video I can see it will be a great to dive on so I'm swing that way again! What was your depth?
Thanks for posting.
Yes it was shame that they removed the accommodation block but nature potentially would have done that in due course. The other diver in the video Mike had been involved in the Recreational Dive proposal so was keen to see how exposed the hull was where it had been removed and this was his first opportunity post removal and he was happy with the result. No word on marine reserve proposal but given the years it seems to take for other established reserves to be put in place I wouldn't expect any result. There was a healthy amount of marine life on it, not as much internally where I did get an opportunity to look in but schools of fish from Blue Mao Maos, Hiwihiwi, marblefish, Kingfish, koheru, kawhai, mackeral. Heard a few crackles from crayfish but didn't spot any. From everything i have heard the marine life has substantially increased since the wreck and from my own diving on Astrolabe Reef prior I would absolutely agree.
I was definitely in the same mindset as you Julian but was very impressed at the level of clean-up that had taken place since the last video I had seen where the debris field was everywhere with huge opportunities for entangments. Bearing in mind we had limited time I saw few examples of scattered debris, one area of coiled wire, a few tyres, aluminum ingots, quite a few recovery bags were lying about with rubbish inside ready for retrieval. There is still quite a few containers lying in the 50m zone and other issues that need to be addressed but I would now advocate leaving the actual structure in place. We were told to stay well clear of a commercial diver operating and to not record anything of that operation but didn't come across him. As far as depth we were under orders to limit our depth to 30m.
Thanks for posting. It's great to see the recovery. It's been a long process.
