HMAS Adelaide - FAQ
Just like the Scouts ( A fine organanisation also worthy of support ) CCARP is prepared for most questions about the Artificial Reef Project... We think we've covered them. If not, send us an email and we'll get back to you.
Question:
Please email us:Who is going to pay to clean up the ship, make it diver safe and sink it?
AnswerGood question... the money question, most important . If it is a Commonwealth deeded ship, the NSW State Government will need to accept full financial and legal responsibility for the vessel. CCARP's resources do not extend to purchasing a capital ship and we would expect either the Federal or State governments to make a gift of a suitable vessel. Overall cost including towing, cleaning, stripping and site preparation is estimated to be approximately 2 to 3 million dollars.
The WA and SA governments chipped in to sink HMAS Swan and Hobart, we hope our state government will do the same. We do however expect to be running the odd cake stall and raffle to help defray costs. HMAS Swan was prepared with volunteer labour but due to the hazardous workplace conditions, HMAS Hobart was cleaned using qualified tradespeople. We expect the same to be true with any vessel we receive.
Question:
Who is going to look after the reef after it's created?
AnswerIt really depends on the State Government as it becomes their property. In the case of the Swan, the WA Government set up a trust to manage the site. It could come under Parks and Wildlife, it may be Waterways. We honestly don't know, but we will keep you informed
Question:
I'm not a diver, I don't go fishing and I can't see how sinking an old ship can benefit me or anyone else. Wouldn't the money be better spent on schools, hospitals and roads?
AnswerWe'd all like to see more of our taxes spent on community instutions, but no matter how broad the appeal of a project to the community, there will always be some who don't appear to gain. For example, nearly everyone agrees that widening the F3 freeway will bring prosperity to the Central Coast, but how do you actually quantify those benefits? Especially to someone who doesen't drive a car to Sydney and rides a bike around Woy Woy. In reality there are myriad flow on gains which are achieved from such "big ticket" projects, including quality of life as well as dollar gains. One way or another, everyone stands to win. Check out the Community Benefits page for more info..
Question:
Why sink a ship at all. Can't they be modernised, sold for scrap, sold to another country or turned into a museum or something?
Answer
Assuming we talking about a warship of HMAS Brisbane's vintage we can safely
say that they are frightfully expensive to maintain and while it's theoretically
possible to upgrade, we'd be talking big dollars to replace weapons, engineering
and electronics systems. Cheaper to build a new ship and the trend these days
is for smaller "smarter" craft.
The resale value for old ships isn't that good. Once a craft gets about 40 years
old or so, they become rather expensive to maintain, a bit like cars, constantly
breaking down. Remember the Fairstar?
The traditonal end for once proud ships - the scrapyard - is not as popular as it once was. The global steel market is pretty saturated, scrapping is expensive to perform and the return is not that good. For sailors who have served on a ship and watched it die from a thousand cuts, the experience is heartbreaking. What better way for a ship, whether a fighting craft, mercantile trader or passenger liner to continue serving it's country by providing the environment to create new life.
Question:
Terrigal Haven has already got several dive clubs and charter boats operating there. What plans are there to accomodate projected increased boat traffic and will there be access to the Artificial Reef from other areas?
AnswerTerrigal Haven also attracts plenty of fishing boats as well and the boat ramp gets pretty chockka at times. The established dive clubs and charter operaters have boats on moorings and the standard practice is to gain access via the beach. We expect the current arrangements to be satisfactory but an ongoing review will be required.
It is expected that dive and charter boats will also arrive on the site from Sydney, Brisbane Water, Pittwater, Newcastle perhaps..
Question:
Will it be neccessary to build a jetty at Terrigal Haven?
AnswerIf there is enough demand for a jetty then perhaps the council may be persuaded to build one. It's really a local Government issue and while it would be nice, we don't think it will happen anytime real soon.
Question:
I own a boat. can I dive on the reef and how much will it cost?
AnswerThoretically yes, but there might be a small levy to help maintain the site eg; mooring replacement, insurance and routine safety surveys.
There is also the possibility that the Artificial Reef may be restricted to licenced operators and clubs, mainly for safety reasons. Which one of these craft is more reassuring?
a) A kitted out dive boat with oxygen, radio, deco bar / tanks and experienced
operator
b) a tinny
It really depends on who manages the site... Another bullet point on the "List of things to talk to State Government about"
Question:
Can I go fishing on the wreck? After all... it's meant to attract fish
AnswerNO.... It will be off limits to fishing. You will be able to catch the fish that have "grown up" there and moved on. Why not charter your boat to divers? For the first few years, there'll be more divers than fish. Even better.. learn to dive and see what the fuss is about.
Question:
If you sink a ship. Won't it rust away?
AnswerEventually yes. But not for an awfully long time. Theres still plenty of the Titanic left after almost 100 years in the brine and lots of almost intact diveable wrecks litter pacific islands 60 years after WW2. It will be sunk in a manner that will maintain its integrity and reduce breaking up for many years to come..
By the time the wreck has vanished it is hoped a whole new living structure will have formed.
Question:
How deep will it be and how much experience will you need to dive on it?
AnswerThe preferred location is app 30 Metres deep. The top of the ship will be app 8 Metres below sea level (after the mast is removed). The wreck will cater to all levels of diver certification. Experienced wreck penetration divers will be able to actually venture inside. Advanced certification divers can swim around on the bottom and open water divers can cruise alongside the decks. It should even be possible to free dive onto the upper parts of the ship.
Question:
If you can free dive on the artificial reef can I take my speargun?
AnswerYou can take your speargun, but leave it in the car.
Question:
Will blowing it up be dangerous?
AnswerA licensed contractor with worldwide experience in dropping this type of ship will carry out the preparation and demolition. Explosive charges will be placed in the bottom of the hull in locations that are designed not to weaken it. The explosive energy will be largely contained and while there will be some ejected material it shouldn't travel far. Anything that floats, and there shouldn't be that much to start off with, will be disposed of ashore.
Question:
How close can I get to the sinking in my boat?
AnswerThere will be an exclusion zone around the site until it has disappeared. You will be able to see the whole shebang from shore..
Question:
Why blow it up at all. Wouldnt it be safer to open the seacocks or whatever it is they do?
AnswerWell it just wouldn't look good on TV... But seriously, a slowly sinking ship can be an unstable ship and all sorts of undesirable things can happen. In the time it takes to sink, the wind and sea can come up and the vessel can list, it can turn turtle, go down stern or bow first. it might stop sinking altogether and become a major hazard or break up like that oil tanker off Spain. Far better to get the job done quickly and the kaboom method of controlled scuttling usually has the ship sitting upright on the bottom in one piece within 4 minutes.
Question:
How soon can I go diving on it?
AnswerThere will be a moratorium on diving the reef until it has been deemed safe. Esssentially this means ensuring that all the charges have gone off and it's not leaking pollutants. With the Hobart it was 2 weeks.
Question:
Will it leak oil and other stuff?
AnswerWe sincerely hope not. Seeing as a major component of the project is marine conservation, we'd look a right bunch of wallies if there was a rapidly spreading oil slick on the surface after sinking. There are binding internationl and Australian laws which deal with this sort of thing. Australia is a signatory to the Marpol legislation and there's also the Commonwealth Environmental Protection & Biodiversity Conservation act 1999 and conservation Regulations of 2000 to keep us in line.
The ship will undergo extensive cleaning - including pumping out the bilges, removing asbestos cleaning, pipes, tanks and machinery and stripping of unwanted or salvageable equipment or parts. See the Preparation & location page
Question:
Will it be in the way of other shipping ?
AnswerThe preferred site is well out of the way of main shiping routes, it should be in everybodys GPS and there will be numerous bouys marking the reef. No matter what though, someone will chew up a buoy...
Question:
I surf at Avoca beach, will the artificial reef affect the surf?
AnswerThe ship will be sunk in a position that will minimise any effect on the prevailing swell. Any change to the surf patterns will be negligible.
Question:
When it's sunk will it affect any sealife?
AnswerOnce again we hope not. The site was chosen for it's barrenness and surveys to date have not revealed any marine habitats in the vicinity. It's possible to transmit an audio signal into the water prior to sinking to scare off marine mammals but if a fish swims under the ship when it sinks it better get a wiggle on.....
Question:
What if there's a diving accident. Are local medical institutions able to assist?
AnswerAlthough we don't promote it, one of the chief advantages of the Central Coast is the close proximity to Hyperbaric treatment centres at HMAS Penguin and Prince of Wales Hospital. Gosford Hospital is also appraised with diving related injuries. We hope nothing ever happens... but it's nice to know that expert help is close by..