New Duties for an Old Ship: The Scuttling of the HMNZS CANTERBURY
November 26, 2007
by Michel & Jane DeRidder

The decommissioned New Zealand naval frigate CANTERBURY is now an artificial reef in the Bay of Islands to attract fish, divers and tourists. The site of the scuttling is Deep Water Cove inside the bay's entrance, about three miles from Cape Brett, chosen because of its clear sheltered water and sandy bottom. Thousands gathered to hear the KA-BOOM of explosives and to watch the 3000-ton thirty-five-year-old Leander class frigate sink out of sight to begin a new posting down under.

It was a long wait for the estimated 500 to 1000 strong fleet (the number of spectator vessels, dependant on who is doing the counting). It all took time, the ferrying of media, dignitaries, sponsors and ex-crew members to and from the stern deck for speeches, prayers and blessings. Meanwhile, a freshening breeze stirred up a bit of a chop. The skirl of bagpipes carried over the water to the closest of the spectator fleet. Channel 6 VHF was the official channel for those in attendance, and as the wait increased, a few harsh words were bandied about of the "Thanks for ruining our view!" sort of thing.

The moment finally arrived more than an hour later than anticipated. The specialist blast team from the UK oversaw the setting off of carefully prepared minimum cutting charges inside the hull to blast out half a dozen meter-square holes. (They used only eight kilos of explosives rather than the twelve kilos that sent the most recent of the scuttled NZ frigates to the bottom in three pieces near Wellington last year.)

Two photos taken by Moira Wood of the sinking of HMNZS CANTERBURY.

As deck fires poured forth their flames and black smoke to signal the successful explosion of all charges, the frigate began to roll onto her starboard side, causing several thousand watchers to gasp in unison with that horrible sinking feeling - those who did not have their view obscured by black smoke, that is. But as the deck reached water level, the ship rolled back onto an even keel before slipping out of sight, stern first. After months of preparation, the actual scuttling took no time at all. It was there - then it was gone!

Newspaper photo of scanned sonar image of the scuttled ship upright on sandy bottom

Only a white circle of churning foamy water remained, photographed from a hovering helicopter, and published in the Whangarei newspaper, NORTHERN ADVOCATE, on Monday morning. The NORTHERN ADVOCATE front page also showed a remarkable scanned sonar image of the CANTERBURY sitting upright on the bottom. The newspaper reports that this "new 3D sonar technology was developed in Auckland and is attracting worldwide interest."

The huge spectator fleet soon disappeared to continue celebrations at home - sort of a pre-Guy Fawkes Day of bonfires and letting off of fireworks while spirits were high and the night was clear. (The official Guy Fawkes Day was not until Monday, November 5, two days later, but rain was forecast for that school night.) "Guy Foxing", Michel calls the national annual mimicking of the historic blowing up of the British Parliament.

Although we were not there for the dramatic sinking moment (we avoid crowds) many of our friends and acquaintances have shared with us their view of the event. I for one will don mask and snorkel on a clear still morning to try to see the "happiest ship in the New Zealand Navy" from the surface. Regrettably, the sunken ship is too deep for other than experienced deepwater wreck divers to enter the hull. I wonder if that beam wind may have pushed the ship sideways into deeper water than planned?

For further info see www.canterburywreck.co.nz.