Navy frigate Canterbury
Wreck of the Navy frigate Canterbury
Deep Water Cove in the Bay of Islands is the final resting place of the decommissioned Navy frigate Canterbury. The ship has become an artificial reef habitat and a recreational diving tourist attraction.
Adding to Northland's growing reputation as an offshore dive trail, The Canterbury builds on the wreck sites already established with the HMNZS Waikato and HMNZS Tui in the Tutukaka and Poor Knights marine reserve and the Greenpeace flagship Rainbow Warrior at Matauri Bay.
In preparation for her scuttling, the former naval frigate was berthed alongside the main wharf at Opua while the ship was decommissioned and stripped. The de-commissioning programme provided a number of skill training opportunities for Far North residents.
Far North Holdings Ltd has secured a memento for the Opua community in the form of one of the ship’s anchors. The anchor is to be mounted in a new public green area to be developed soon on the site of the old Opua Cruising Club buildings.
One of two 4.8 ton propellers from the former frigate was secured by the Far North District Council and has since been mounted on permanent display on the Paihia waterfront adjacent to the Bay of Islands Information Centre.
The five-blade propeller made from aluminium and bronze alloy with a diameter close to four metres was originally designed using cutting-edge technology to reduce cavitations and noise in keeping with the vessel’s anti-submarine role.
Communities were invited to bring forward proposals on where the propeller should be located and how it should be mounted as a tangible memorial to a significant era in maritime history. A successful bid was made by the Paihia community. In its current location, the propeller will draw attention to both the history of the Canterbury and its present role as an artificial reef and recreational diving attraction.
Work to strip the ship and to make the former frigate environmentally secure was completed at Opua in early October 2007. The vessel was towed to Deep Water Cove and was finally sunk on 3 November 2007.
Additional Information
The frigate HMNZS Canterbury was commissioned into the Royal New Zealand Navy in October 1971 and de-commissioned in March 2005. HMNZS Canterbury was the last of the Leander-class frigates in the Royal New Zealand Navy. She carried a crew of 240 Officers and Ratings.
Shipwrecks provide a unique artificial reef habitat for marine life. Over time the HMNZS Canterbury will develop into a small oasis of marine life, attracting a wide variety of fish and other creatures.
Page created/updated: 30 July 2009 at 9:12 am
