New Zealand wrecks

Wrecks

TYPE:		1940's
BUILT:		Scotland
PORT OF REGISTRY:
LENGTH:		30m
BEAM:
DEPTH:
TONNAGE:
ENGINES:
OWNER:
MASTER/COMMANDER:
CREW:
CARGO:
DESTINED VOYAGE:
DATE OF DEPARTURE:
DATE OF WRECK:		March 2000
LOCATION OF WRECK:		Off Motiti Island Bay of Plenty
LIVES LOST:

Probably what put the Taioma on the map was she was the first tug on the scene of the Wahini Disaster in wellington over 40 years ago.

Sunk off Motiti Island in the Bay of Plenty in March 2000. The Taioma, a 30m long tug, built in the 1940's originated from Scotland. Brought to Wellington in 1947, She was bought in 1979 at the end of her life and put on display at the Tauranga Museum, and then finally turned into an artificial reef;

Sitting on a flat sandy bottom at 27m the Taioma is a fantastic dive for all experience levels, and because she is in a ‘cradle’ is still upright and largely intact. There are a couple of easy swimthroughs from side to side of the hull, the wheel still remains in the wheelhouse, and it is also possible to swim down the funnel and into the engine room.

The main deck of the Taioma is around 22m, base of the wreck at 27m and the funnel at 17m.