Birchgrove Park 19-09-09

We headed North on September 19, 2009. over the Hawkesbury and back across to the Brooklyn Boat ramp. It's an hour 20 drive from home but a god run out to the heads in the boat. We headed towards the site of the Valiant. As we approached we saw a dive boat already there. Our plan was to check this site from the surface then head out to the deep Birchgrove Park. Our GPS co-ordinates were wrong so luckily we could correct that from the charter boat that was anchored in the Valiant. It was high tide and the viz was so good I could see divers around the wreck 26m down. Having confirmed that we headed across to the Birchgrove Park. Our GPS marks for this were wrong also, as where the ones in in Tom Byron's book. A small boat was in the vicinity and after a short discussion we anchored 20 away from them while they tied up to the buoy that was just below the surface. With twins and stage we headed down. I got to 10m before realising that I had not connected my dry suit inflator. Encumbered with my sling I was not able to connect it so had to re surface. Meanwhile Wayne was nearly at the bottom at 50m. Once on the wreck I found the viz fantastic, really clear. This is a larger boat than the Tug or Undola and while not having the variety of fish life, a very enjoyable dive. It lies on it's port side with the mast sticking out across the sand. There is much more wreck to explore than we had time for. We were able to circumnavigate the wreck but I would have liked more time to explore it.

The GPS co-ordinates for this wreck are 33 38.303 S 151 22.701 E. Guaranteed - our anchor landed right on the wreck behind the mast.