The Conference Wreck, Howies Scuba

The Conference Wreck

On 21 April 1904, Conference was scuttled on a reef 32 kilometres north of Fremantle. The wreck site is reached by launching from Mindarie Keys and is located 2.8 kilometres due west of Quinns Rocks. The site lies at a uniform depth of 12 metres on a submerged 1 to 2 metres high reef. It measures 51.5 metres in length and approximately 9 metres across, with only the stern-post and the starboard section of the counter stern standing above the sea-bed.

Source: Shipwreck Central.

But you don't need to be reading all that information, go find out for yourself............ to dive it and to keep things simple just give Western Blue Dive Charters a call and meet up with them at Mindarie Marina, they will regularly dive this wreck, follow them on Facebook HERE and get daily updates of the coming weeks dive spots. These guys are one of, if not the best value dive charter around Perth (I really haven't found better), double dive with second cylinder $75, plus the funny and charming Skipper Michael thrown in for free.

My Dive & The Dive Site

We dived here in May 2012 and loved this little site. Not just trying to figure out the wreck, which can be quite difficult if you dont have your eyes peeled but the great little sets of gulleys and alleyways the reef creates around the wreck, producing a maze type feel around the site. These little passage ways create great little places to explore, make sure you look under the tiny ledges and in the holes, guaranteed to have something lurking in the them, especially the beautiful Western Blue Devil Fish, which keeps doing its best to elude me and my camera (but I get them in the end).

The Wreck

Firstly an apology before we get to the photographs and video. I have been plagued with minor technical hitches and hiccups over the past few dives, with buttons sticking, dials failing and strobes breaking (just to name a few), so I havent been able to produce as many photographs as I would have liked to and I really haven't been able to capture as much of the marine life and dive site as I would usually (conditions permitted). Anyway no point crying over spilt milk............ so.......... lets get to it.

Searching.................

Still can't find it..................

Found it..................

Ok now you're just showing off..........

In all honesty there is not much of a wreck left at this site....... but what do you really expect after a 100 years of getting your stern kicked. But this is a beautiful example on how the environment envelopes these foreign objects and makes them their own. It certainly makes you wonder how many wrecks have you swam by or over, maybe even making a comment in your head about unusual patterns in the reef or coral and you have just discovered a long lost wreck and you didn't even know it.

The WA coastline has a very long history of ships being wrecked along our reefs. So maybe next time you are out and about and see something a little bit strange go take an extra couple of minutes to check it out......... you never know.

Playing around the wreck...........

Seeing if the iron ribs of the Conference affects the compass needle...........in all honesty I wouldn't know as I think the kick from the surge had a far greater effect on my positioning.

Marine Life......

but only a wee bit.... remember at the begining I said my camera has been playing up.... I promise you there is a lot more going on than I could ever capture, even with a fully working camera..........oh well its better than a kick in the teeth.... so they say.....

Maori Wrasse