Canterbury Wreck
Conditions & tides
Scored by DiveConnect's site-physics model
Marine forecast via Copernicus Marine. Score is a rule-based guide from swell/wind vs. the site's exposure — always dive your own assessment.
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About this site
Canterbury Wreck is the former HMNZ Canterbury (F421), a frigate that served in the New Zealand Navy from 1971 to 2005. She was scuttled in 2007 in Deep Water Cove to become an artificial reef and help depleted fish stocks recover. The cove is a rahui, a no-take zone, extended in 2020 for two more years. Paihia is about 16 km away by boat.
The wreck sits on sand at 32 m at the bow and 36 m at the stern. The upper deck is between 22 and 27 m and the top of the superstructure is at 12 m, so it works for divers certified to 30 m. The site is rated advanced, needs Advanced Open Water or above, and suits technical divers. Enriched air at 32 percent is popular for the upper areas.
Access to the wreck. It was sunk with divers in mind, and large holes have been cut so divers can move in and out easily. The upper levels are relatively easy to navigate for divers with a wreck specialty. The bridge has an entry hatch on top and from both sides.
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The outside is covered in colourful encrusting life, including jewel anemones that spawn in winter. Massive schools of sweep shelter here from large kingfish and snapper, which can be found around and even inside the wreck. Large crayfish sit in holes around the wreck. A resident snapper called Captain was known to live in the bridge.
Marine life here
Confirmed by our research team, reported by independent divers, or observed nearby via iNaturalist — each entry is labelled with its source.
Jack / amberjackJack / amberjackReported here · unconfirmed- Yellowtail KingfishSeriola lalandiReported here · unconfirmed
Shortfin MakoIsurus oxyrinchusReported here · unconfirmed
Eastern King WrasseCoris sandeyeriReported here · unconfirmed
Cook's ScorpionfishScorpaena cardinalisReported here · unconfirmed
Jewel AnemoneCorynactis australisReported here · unconfirmed
New Zealand DemoiselleChromis dispilaReported here · unconfirmed
Eastern PigfishBodianus unimaculatusReported here · unconfirmed
ScorpionfishScorpionfishReported here · unconfirmed
SnapperSnapperReported here · unconfirmed
Durable tips from divers — access, hazards, marine life, facilities. For day-of conditions, use the report tool in the conditions card above.
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