About The Dive F69 HMNZS Wellington

The Dive F69 HMNZS Wellington lies in about 21 - 24m of water. She is exposed to southerly and strong northerlies but is still divable on many days of the year. Visability is reasonable here except in extreme conditions where the currents over her are often quite strong. F69 HMNZS Wellington lies close to the boat ramp and this allows for the posibility of making more than one trip each day. The marine life is abundant here and there is a NO TAKE POLICY in place on this wreck.

F69 HMNZS Wellington was decommissioned by the Royal New Zealand Navy and later sunk off the south coast of Wellingtonon City on the 13 November 2005. F69 is a Leander class frigate that was especially prepared as a dive destination. The forces of nature proved too much for F69 HMNZS Wellington as a storm broke her into three sections shortly after she was sunk (see picture). The major attractions of this ship, such as the forward guns and bridge remain although the superstructure has been reduced in height. She is broken in front of the bridge and in the area of the helicopter hangar.

F69 HMNZS Wellington Specifications

Displacement:

2945 Tonnes (Full Load)

Dimensions:

Length:113.4m Beam: 13.1m Depth: 5.5m

Endurance:

30 days or 5500nm @ 15kts: Max speed 28kts

Complement:

245 crew 15 Officers

Machinery:

2 Babcock & Wilcox Boilers - 38.7 cm sq, 454oC, 22.4 MW, 2 Diesel Generators

Sensors:

Air Search Radar:

Signaal LW-08 D Band Range 265km for 2m2 Target Air Surface Search Radar Plessey Type 993 E/F Band Navigation Radar Kelvin Hughes Type 1006 I band

Hull Sonar:

Graseby Type 750 Medium Frequency Active Electronic Surveillance: Argo Phoenix intercept and Jammer, Telegon PST 1288 HVU IFF system: Cossor Mk XII

Data System:

Plessey / Marconi Nautis F with Link 11 Weapons Control: RCA TR-76 I Band

F69 Service History

1969 Commissioned into the RN as HMS Bacchante

1982 Commissioned into the RNZN as HMNZS Wellington at Portsmouth on 4 October, delivery voyage

from United Kingdom via United States, Mexico, Hawaii, arriving at Auckland on 2 December

1983 Extended refit (removal of asbestos)

1984 Extended refit

1985 Extended refit

1986 Extended refit, New Zealand (Trials)

1987 New Zealand, Sydney, New Zealand (funeral for Rear Admiral L. J. Tempero, CB), Fiji (Operation

WELLS), Western Samoa, New Zealand, Australia (Workup), New Zealand

1988 New Zealand, Campbell Island, Auckland Island, New Zealand, Raoul Island, Tonga, Westem

Samoa, Pago Pago, Raoul Island, New Zealand, Australia, Indonesia, Singapore, Australia, New Zealand,

Australia (for Bicentennial Naval Salute Fleet Review), New Zealand

1989 New Zealand, Australia, New Zealand, Vanuatu, Federated States of Micronesia, Hong Kong,

Korea, Japan, Singapore, Papua New Guinea, Solomon Islands, New Zealand, Campbell Island, New

Zealand, Raoul Island, Niue, Rarotonga, Pago Pago, Raoul Island, New Zealand

1990 New Zealand, Westem Samoa (Cyclone OFA relief), New Zealand, Vanuatu, Papua New Guinea,

Indonesia, Pandang, Singapore, Bougainville (Operation BIG TALK), New Zealand, Australia, New Zealand

1991 New Zealand, Solomon Islands, Hong Kong, Kuching, Singapore, Indonesia, Australia, New Zealand

1992 NewZealand (refit)

1993 New Zealand (refit and trials), Australia (Workup), Singapore, Brunei, Australia, New Zealand

1994 New Zealand, Noumea, Solomon Islands, Vanuatu, New Zealand, Australia, Singapore, Indonesia, Australia, New Zealand

1995 New Zealand, Australia (Workup), New Zealand, Australia, Singapore, Bahrain, North Arabian Gulf (Operation DELPHIC), Kuwait, Bahrain, Dubai, Bahrain, Dubai

1996 Dubai, Bahrain, Maldives, Diego Garcia, Australia, New Zealand (reflt)

1997 New Zealand (refit and trials), Raoul Island, New Zealand

1998 New Zealand, Australia, New Zealand, Dunedin (for 150th Anniversary Celebrations), Australia, New Zealand, Australia, Norfolk Island (for Medivac), Australia, Indonesia (for Medivac), Guam, Korea (for Intemational Fleet Review), Japan, china, Manila, Australia, New Zealand

1999 New Zealand, Westem Samoa, Niue, Raoul Island, New Zealand, Wellington (Decommissioning visit), Devonport Naval Base

F69 Past Commanders RNZN