Diving WWI shipwreck Port Kembla in NZ

Posted on May 5th, 2009 by Ali Perkins

After a fantastic weekend diving the wreck of the ex-HMNZS Canterbury up in the Bay of Islands, I thought members might like this video, showing what happens when you take your technical and wreck diving to a whole other level!

The video is a Campbell Live segment on diving the Port Kembla, a 4,500 ton cargo ship sunk by a German mine off the coast of New Zealand in 1918. The wreck is located in 100 metres of water off Farewell Spit at the top of the South Island and is dived first by New Zealand’s very own Pete Mesley and Dr Simon Mitchell. Notice the high-pitched ‘Donald Duck’ voices of the divers from breathing helium.

Filed under: Ali Perkins, Diving New Zealand, Technical Diving

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2 Responses to “Diving WWI shipwreck Port Kembla in NZ”

  1. Kathryn, on May 5th, 2009 at 4:01 pm Said:

    Awesome footage!! The clarity of the water & depth of light penetration is phenomenal! When did they dive the wreck?

  2. Ali Perkins, on May 7th, 2009 at 8:06 am Said:

    I messaged Pete Mesley and he had this to say:

    Here is a link on the article I wrote about the Kembla trip 2007.

    http://www.petemesley.com/Local%20trips%20PORT%20KEMBLA.htm

    I will be heading back to take proper stills pictures of the wreck. These crappy ones were taken off the video so not happy at all with those!!!!

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