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 Port Kembla wreck dived  |
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Simon Mitchell
Diving and Hyperbaric Physician
Australia
645 Posts |
 Posted - 13 February 2007 : 10:47:07 AM
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Gidday,
A small team from Auckland has located and dived the wreck of the "Port Kembla" in 96m some 8 miles west of Farewell Spit (top of the South Island). This wreck was significant in that she was lost to a mine in 1917 left by the same German raider that laid the mine that sank the Cumberland off southern NSW. As is often the case, local fishermen had marks they believed to be the wreck but there was no contemporary confirmation of that. The wreck had not been dived previously.
We dived the wreck last Friday and Saturday. It is a stunning site, or at least it was on the days we were there. A good 30 - 40m viz on the bottom with natural light to burn and the wreck was covered in fish. We did not begin to see the whole thing, but it was positively identified from plates bearing the company insignia (Commonwealth and Dominion Shipping Company). We also found the ship's bell.
The mode of sinking is not the only similarity with the Cumberland. The site also lies in very exposed and difficult waters; at the entrance to Cook Strait which is famous for its inclement weather and strong currents. Travelling to dive it will always be a bit of a gamble, but potentially with great rewards if our experience is anything to go by.
The team was: master and mate - Tony and Nick (local fishermen); deck boss - Geoff Payne; local logistics and deck support - Brian (Nelson diver); bottom divers - Pete Mesley and Simon Mitchell; safety diver - Dave Young; topside video and research - Mike Fraser. I will post a couple of stills from the video when they become available.
Simon M. |
Edited by - Simon Mitchell on 14 February 2007 09:49:12 AM
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Webguy
Dogs Body
Sydney
Australia
4219 Posts |
Posted - 13 February 2007 : 10:57:22 AM
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Look forward to seeing the pics.
There are two secrets to life...
1) Don't tell everything you know...
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wizbang
Wizbangerkoff - Russian Teknical Diver
Perth
Australia
1960 Posts |
Posted - 13 February 2007 : 11:52:37 AM
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Congrats on the find and such a great dive.
I will check the post for an invitation.
You had a great team with you. I also look forward to the pics and maybe a story.
The early bird may get the worm, but the second mouse gets the cheese. |
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Samir
Sydney Project member / Dive-Oz Supporter
Sydney
Australia
1767 Posts |
Posted - 13 February 2007 : 9:18:35 PM
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Pete must be still in heaven Simon, he hasn't even sent me an email yet  #13;#10;Congratulations, that is an awesome find, I know Pete was talking about it for years now and finally you guys get there. Bloody fantastic. I can't believe you found the Bell too, that must have been just the best feeling. #13;#10;#13;#10;We are back on the Cumberland this weekend, it's been four years since we dived it, how quickly does the time goes?!! I still remember that first dive we did, it's like it was yesterday. #13;#10;#13;#10;Actually it's good you in town during Oztek Simon, because we are celebrating 5 years since Sydney Project started, and a few beers will need to be consumed #13;#10;#13;#10;I will have a beer for you guys 
Cheers,
Samir
www.sydneyproject.com
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Trev Jackson
600+ Posts
Cairns
Australia
1051 Posts |
Posted - 13 February 2007 : 9:41:59 PM
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quote:
We also found the ship's bell.
Simon M.
    RUCKIN!!BUGGERBLODDY  ruckinGRRRRRRBARSTARDS
GRUMBLEMUMBLEGRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRJEALOUS
 WELL BLOODY DONE
www.esperancestar.com.au |
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SA Dave
Official Dive-Oz Historian / Moderator
Northside, Brisbane
Australia
3145 Posts |
Posted - 13 February 2007 : 9:58:16 PM
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Geeze Trev, that was the nice version, compared to what you were calling him last night... 
Well done Simon and Pete, top effort guys.
Wave!
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Richard Harris
DiveBum in training
Adelaide
Australia
519 Posts |
Posted - 13 February 2007 : 10:07:13 PM
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Good stuff guys, well done.
From my readings there was controversy at the time of sinking...a mine vs sabotage and an internal explosion?
See anything that confirmed a mine to be the cause?
"Harry"
www.divedoc.net |
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SCUTTLE
Scuttlebutt Dive Charters
JAN JUC
Australia
518 Posts |
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jdz
PRISM Pilot / Dive-Oz Supporter
Melbourne
Australia
1355 Posts |
Posted - 14 February 2007 : 08:50:44 AM
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Good thing you guys got in quick!!
Well done!! ... waiting for more info...
Cheers, JDZ  |
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Simon Mitchell
Diving and Hyperbaric Physician
Australia
645 Posts |
Posted - 14 February 2007 : 09:44:32 AM
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quote:
Originally posted by Richard Harris
Good stuff guys, well done.
From my readings there was controversy at the time of sinking...a mine vs sabotage and an internal explosion?
See anything that confirmed a mine to be the cause?
"Harry"
www.divedoc.net
Gidday Harry,
Nothing on the dive itself; like most wrecks of its age it has largely collapsed into a ship shaped pile of debris. But as usual, good research is worth its weight in gold. Mike Fraser sourced the minefield position records from Germany (in typical German fashion the position of every individually numbered mine was accurately plotted) and the position of the wreck is smack bang on top of one of the fields. Not even a little bit out, despite the field being only a very narrow line on a map. Could be coincidence of course, but based on this I would go with the mine theory.
Thanks for all the comments guys, but we've got to try to keep up (at least a little bit) with all the great stuff going on in Oz. Actually there are two more undived Wolf victims up north that we might be reasonably close to sniffing out.
Simon M |
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Richard
Dive-Oz Supporter
Warkworth
New Zealand
803 Posts |
Posted - 14 February 2007 : 12:34:11 PM
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Congratulations Simon. That's a wild bit of coast to be out in.
If you're looking at the ones I think you are the island isn't shaking so much these days so hopefully all the excitment will be in the water for your trip.
Look forward to the pictures!
No plan survives first contact with reality unscathed |
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Petemes
30+ Posts
Auckland
New Zealand
128 Posts |
Posted - 18 February 2007 : 2:26:10 PM
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Hi everyone, thanks a stack for the support, Samir sorry about the delayed correspondence mate, been trying to get some pickees for you to check out. The video is amazing! We are putting together a doco on the ship but in the meantime I have extracted a few frames from teh video. http://www.petemesley.com/Local%20trips%20PORT%20KEMBLA.htm
More trips to that fantastic wreck in the future. Talk soon
Pete
"A little less talk a little more action" - Elvis Presley |
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Petemes
30+ Posts
Auckland
New Zealand
128 Posts |
Posted - 18 February 2007 : 2:27:41 PM
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Ahh yes, if anyone is keen to see all the topside picks let me know and I will send you a link. Wont be putting them onto the website, talk soon pete
"A little less talk a little more action" - Elvis Presley |
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Trev Jackson
600+ Posts
Cairns
Australia
1051 Posts |
Posted - 18 February 2007 : 6:10:17 PM
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From the looks of that last photo it seems Simon is missing his days in the Royal New Zealand Navy. Seriously gross Pete
www.esperancestar.com.au |
Edited by - Trev Jackson on 18 February 2007 6:26:07 PM |
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ph
300+ Posts
Australia
556 Posts |
Posted - 18 February 2007 : 6:16:24 PM
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quote:
Originally posted by Trev Jackson
From the looks of that last photo it seems Simon is missing his days in the Royal New Zealand Navy. Seriously gross Pete
www.esperancestar.com.au
it looks like the skipper has a bell of his own!
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Petemes
30+ Posts
Auckland
New Zealand
128 Posts |
Posted - 18 February 2007 : 7:21:53 PM
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Funny you should mention it. It WAS Simon that brought all this up. Those navy boys dont miss a trick do they!!!!
Anyway after bringing that puppy up I wasnt about to argue!
"A little less talk a little more action" - Elvis Presley |
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Samir
Sydney Project member / Dive-Oz Supporter
Sydney
Australia
1767 Posts |
Posted - 18 February 2007 : 11:50:04 PM
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Brilliant, I thought the tradition involved a sheep!!!  #13;#10;#13;#10;Thanks Pete. You should come to Oztek mate with Simon #13;#10;#13;#10;Take care guys.
Cheers,
Samir
www.sydneyproject.com
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Petemes
30+ Posts
Auckland
New Zealand
128 Posts |
Posted - 19 February 2007 : 05:00:59 AM
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Hi Samir,
Would love to mate, but I am at the Kermadecs again from 15-25th March looking for this Wairuna wreck. Am gutted I wont be there and am sure that Strikey and Rich will do another unbelievable job with Oztek this year.
Keep up the great findings with the Sydney project mate.
Pete
"A little less talk a little more action" - Elvis Presley |
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Richard Harris
DiveBum in training
Adelaide
Australia
519 Posts |
Posted - 20 February 2007 : 10:00:13 AM
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The skipper has more hair on his **** than you have on ya head Simon!
"Harry"
www.divedoc.net |
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Trev Jackson
600+ Posts
Cairns
Australia
1051 Posts |
Posted - 20 February 2007 : 10:04:09 AM
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quote:
Originally posted by Richard Harris
The skipper has more hair on his **** than you have on ya head Simon!
"Harry"
www.divedoc.net
you could tell the difference??
www.esperancestar.com.au |
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Webguy
Dogs Body
Sydney
Australia
4219 Posts |
Posted - 20 February 2007 : 10:30:39 AM
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After seeing the final pic, I kind of regret asking to see some pics.
There are two secrets to life...
1) Don't tell everything you know...
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Port Kembla wreck dived |
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