Ex-HMAS Adelaide Dives - Double Boat Dive
Sydney Dive Charters operates double boat dives to the Ex-HMAS Adelaide marine reserve. The Australian navy guided missile frigate Ex-HMAS Adelaide was scuttled off Avoca on Sydney’s central coast on 11th April 2011 to create a dedicated wreck dive site and artificial reef for marine life. Since 2011 a substantial amount of marine growth has covered the wreck, this marine growth includes many types of colourful sponges and soft and hard corals.
The wreck of the Ex–HMAS Adelaide has also attracted an abundance of fish life. Large numbers of schooling Kingfish and Yellowtail, will be encountered on the wreck, because of the protection the structure of the wreck provides. The Ex–HMAS Adelaide is located in a marine reserve which is a no fishing zone. Giant Cuttlefish are found on the wreck and scuba divers can see large clusters of white Cuttlefish eggs hanging from the upper superstructure.
Diving The Ex-HMAS Adelaide
Your dive will start on one of the permanent moorings that are located along the length of the Ex–HMAS Adelaide. Scuba divers will descend down to the upper and bridge decks and then dive along and through the upper superstructure. The bridge deck is a great place to get some photos. Depending on the divers experience and level of certification they can explore deeper in to the lower levels of the ship, such as the engine and generator compartments.
It will take the diver many return trips to visit each deck containing the galley, crew rooms, CIC, toilets, helicopter hanger bay, engine and generator rooms, foredeck guided missile area, chart room and the wheelhouse.
Sydney Dive Charters suggested all divers use Nitrox as this will make the double dive safer and also increase the divers no deco time. We also suggest technical divers that plan to dive the Ex–HMAS Adelaide on one long dive, which can have a total run time of over hour including decompression.
The wreck has been prepared for scuba diver safety so many holes have been cut into the hull for easy entry and exit. All overhead cabling etc on each internal deck level has been removed for diver safety.
Ex–HMAS Adelaide Marine Reserve
All passengers and divers are required to obtain a permit for a fee, from the NSW Department of Industry, as this department manage the marine reserve that the Ex–HMAS Adelaide is located in. Sydney Dive Charters can arrange this on your or your group’s behalf at time of booking.
Dive Boat Comfort, Capacity and Safety
Sydney Dive Charters purpose built dive boat is a catamaran type with twin hull's providing a perfect stable dive platform for scuba divers, reducing vessel movement for customers and crew alike, the vessel holds 10 divers, plus crew comfortably. The dive boat has a toilet or (head) in the forward cabin for all onboard. When boarding divers either enter via the port side midship walkway when boarding from a wharf or via the stern entry and exit area via the dive ladder, this entry is used when we board via a beach such as Little Manly or Long Bay Beach. Our boat dive deck layout allows scuba divers to be seated with their back to their own dive equipment or if they have selected online our top of range hire gear, this hire gear will already be prepared, checked and ready for use after our Dive Master or Master gives each customer a briefing on its safe use. The boat dive deck layout also allows all the divers to face each other so everyone can discuss the upcoming dives or what they have seen on the previous dive adventure, when heading out to one of Sydney Dive Charters selected dive sites, divers can discuss or organise their buddy, dive gear or what they would like to see and listen to the detailed pre departure safety briefing or the dive site briefing given by either the Master or Dive Master. Sydney Dive Charters provides each scuba diver with their own dive crate located directly under their seat located on the tank rack, this dive crate is used to store divers fins, mask, dive bag etc. the Port and Starboard (left and right) tank racks can be converted into comfortable seating for charters that don't require customers having dive equipment. Our tank racks safely secure each divers one or two tanks using brackets and straps, once the dive boat reach's the dive site divers simply get their masks and fins organised and/ or donned , unsecure their BCD and tank, put it on while seated, when ready stand up and hold one of the many handrails for stability, then take a few steps to the aft exit and entry area before entering the water via a giant stride entry. Once the diver is in the water they can hold onto a mermaid line if a current or conditions require, divers may also be instructed to do so by the dive guide, if conditions allow divers can make their way to the bow with their buddy where the anchor is located ready for descent. Our dive crew will assist every diver when entering and exiting the water, and will do a final gear check before the giant stride entry, when the diver returns he or she climbs up the purpose built dive ladder wearing their fins, when they reach the top and stand on the deck our crew will remove their fins prior to the diver walking assisted back to their nominated seat to safely secure or change over their dive tank making it ready for their next dive after a surface interval. Sydney Dive Charters has all the safety equipment including RFD (life raft), lifejackets, flares, radio, EPIRB, fire extinguishers, first aid, and oxygen in case of diver emergency's, our staff are all highly qualified and experienced first aid trained.
Pickup Locations To Dive the wreck of the EX-HMAS Adelaide
Pickups from Careel Bay Marina, Pittwater, Bayview Boat Ramp, Pittwater, when diving the ship wreck of the EX-HMAS Adelaide or a range of other Sydney dive sites north of Narrabeen on Sydney's Northern Beaches. If a private charters is organised we can pickup from anywhere as required if safe to do so.
Sydney Dive Charters offers other different pickup locations for recreational and advanced boat dive pickups in Sydney Harbour, either Little Manly Boat Ramp or Rose Bay Public Wharf are our regular daily pickup locations. Both these pickup locations require dive boat travel times to most of our Sydney Dive Sites of 10 - 30min. Sydney Dive Charters also offers pickups from Long Bay, Malabar, when diving Magic Point or Sydney dive sites south of Maroubra. This beach pickup is only 5 minutes boat travel to Magic Point, however a group booking will need to be organised to select this dive boat pickup point.
Hire Gear On-board Sydney Dive Charters Ex-HMAS Adelaide Double Boat Dives
Sydney Dive Charters has a full range of the very best top quality hire gear range including Scubapro, Halcyon, Faber steel tanks or aluminium tanks and has all dive gases such as air, nitrox, helium, and oxygen, dive gases can be blended on request when dive certification is provided. Sydney Dive Charters hire gear BCD's are Scubapro Tec Wing's which allows scuba divers to get the very most out of their Sydney diving. Scuba divers when booking their Sydney boat dives can add-on any variety of our top of the range hire gear simply by adding on the hire gear package that best suits their needs for the day boat diving.
Click here to checkout Sydney Dive Charters range of top quality hire gear or click the Gear Hire tab on the top of the bar located on the Home Page.
Sydney Dive Charters provides hot drinks and light snacks and spray jackets during the surface interval, we also recommends that divers bring cameras for underwater photography.
Minimum Certification – Advanced Open Water
Recommended Minimum Experience – 20 Logged Dives
Recommended Gas – Nitrox
Depth Range – 18 - 36 metres
DOUBLE BOAT DIVE RUNTIME – 4HRS
DIVE BOAT DEPARTS – CARREL BAY MARINA, PITTWATER OR BAYVIEW BOAT RAMP, PITTWATER
SEA SICK MEDICATION RECOMMENDED
Due to adverse weather conditions the Master can change dive sites on the day.
*** Check out our dive calendar to see availability for this dive site
*** There can be a strong surge found on the wreck at times so divers must be experienced.
*** The wreck itself was prepared for divers before she was scuttled so there are many cutouts in the hull so divers can enter and exit all areas with ease.
*** For more information about the Ex-HMAS Adelaide site see link http://www.crownland.nsw.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0005/644702/Adelaide_PoM.pdf