Large fireballs light up the Mercury Passage at noon as the Troy D is scuttled .
Going, going... gone! The Troy D slips underneath the surface.
Divers inspect the ship at its new resting place.
Entering the submerged hull for the first time.
LATEST NEWS
This web page is updated around the first day of each month.
OCTOBER 2008 UPDATE
Site News
Night dives are currently being conducted by Island Ocean Charters. Give Michael a ring on 0408 313 904 to book your dive. Remember your tanks can be filled by Carl at Liberty Service Station Triabunna (Vicary Street).
And Over The Water
The ex HMAS Canberra has arrived in Victoria and is being prepared at Geelong. DMO have responsibility for the preparation and scuttling of the vessel.
Preparation work is expected to take around six months. During this time the ship will be stripped of all environmental and safety hazards, including 25,000 kilometres of wiring, all insulation, oil, flooring and lead ballast. Access points will be cut through the vessel so that divers won't get trapped. Salvageable equipment and materials will be removed and memorabilia will be taken out and put aside for appropriate memorials. All toxic substances will be removed; unsafe access areas welded and barred, decks and doorways opened up, with warning and diver safety notices installed.
It will be sunk at Barwon Heads on the Bellarine Peninsula off Southern Victoria. The 4,100 ton military vessel was launched in 1978 and decommissioned in 2005 and served in the Persian Gulf and the Solomon Islands as a long range escort frigate providing air defence, anti-submarine warfare, and surveillance. The cost of the project is expected to be a cool $8 million making our Troy project look very economical at $800,000.
And Over The Big Seas
The retired American Naval vessel the USNS Vandenberg was scheduled to be scuttled on 15 May 2008, but further funds are needed to complete preparations. The boat is currently tied up in Virginia and going nowhere until a $1.85M shortfall is filled. Given the current financial markets in the US this could be a long way off. City Commissioner Bill Verge was still upbeat about the project and positive about what great publicity the scuttling and reef would be. He went on to project that free media coverage from the scuttling would be valued at $40 million, citing interest from "Good Morning America," the Discovery Channel's "Mythbusters" and other national and international outlets.
The ship is a mighty 174 metres long, The Vandenberg was originally commissioned in 1944 as Gen. Harry Taylor to serve as a World War II Army troop transport ship. In 1963 the ship was re-commissioned under its current name and served in the Atlantic Missile Range becoming one of the most technologically advanced platforms in the world during that era.
The ship tracked manned space launches beginning with Mercury through early Space Shuttle missions, Retired in 1983, the Vandenberg also saw cinema duty as a Russian science ship in "Virus," a 1999 release starring Jamie Lee Curtis.
Roy Gabriel the world renowned ship sinker from Canada has been engaged to scuttle the Vandenberg along with John Jennings for Western Australia. Roy and John are well known in our circles after scuttling the Troy D with the most spectacular fireball display seen. Memories are relived and indulged - below is the brilliant scuttling image of the Troy D from ace Examiner Photographer Paul Scambler.
Scuttling day – the memories live on – Roy Gabriel, Geoff Bull, Chris Peterson and John Jennings
CYLINDER REFILLS AVAILABLE - TRIABUNNA
Please note that all dive fills and equipment are available in Triabunna at:
Liberty Service Station (East Coast Power Equipment Service Centre)
Main Road (Vicary Street)
Triabunna
(P) 03 6257 3555
(F) 03 6257 3697
DIVING ON THE TROY D
The East Coast Artificial Reef and Divesite is up and running. You cannot dive the Troy D without a permit. Permits are available through the two appointed/licensed operators or through your dive Club. Dive Clubs can apply for a permit. Please email cpeterson@tassie.net.au.
MOORINGS/DIVE SITE LAYOUT
Click to view the Troy D Wreck Dive Site Mooring Setout.
DIVE SITE OPERATORS
Island Ocean Charters
1 Louisville Point Road
Orford, Tasmania 7190
(P) 03 6234 5658 (M) 0408 313 904
(E) mail@islandoceancharters.com.au
(W) www.islandoceancharters.com.au
GO Dive
190 Argyle Street
Hobart, Tasmania 7000
(P) 03 6231 9749
(F) 03 6231 4938
(E) info@godivetassie.com
(W) www.godivetassie.com
Please send your contributions for the website to cpeterson@tassie.net.au