HMNZS Waikato (F55) was a Leande batch 2TA Frigate. of the Royal New Zealand Navy. She was one of two Leanders built for the RNZN, the other being the Batch 3 HMNZ Canterbury. These two New Zealand ships relieved British ships during the Falklands conflict, freeing British ships for deployment.
This is a beautiful wreck dive! Listing to port in 30m of water she provides both a training site for entry level wreck divers, artificial reef and massive penetration dive stern to broken bow for the more seasoned over head diver. This site ticks all the boxes and is easy to reach from Tutukaka. What's not to like....
HMNZS Waikato was decommissioned from the Royal New Zealand Navy in 1998 and sold by the government. She was stripped in the Northland port of Opua and sunk off the coast of Tutukaka on 18 December 2000 as an artificial reef. In 2002, the sunken Waikato 's bow was separated from the rest of the ship in heavy weather.
This dive is as much as you want it to be! Great dive, Great friends and an awesome location to keep exploring :)
Here is a teaser from the wreck.....
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