Rena (Wreck)

The Rena Wreck is situated on the Astrolabe Reef, 12 nautical miles from the entrance of Tauranga Harbour in the Bay of Plenty, New Zealand. It is a popular dive site for advanced and expert divers due to its maximum depth of 24m. However, it is important to note that diving should only be done in calm conditions with swells under 1m, as the current can be strong depending on the tide.

The Rena wreckage, fully submerged, occupies less than 2% of the total reef area. It can be divided into three parts, each with its own mooring buoys. Dive Site 1, marked by an orange mooring buoy labeled "Dive Site 1 - 18m," is an excellent spot to explore the separated bow pieces. Divers can descend at the buoy down the shotline, head northeast along the wreck pieces with the reef on their right side, and explore the marine environment in the natural gullies. The same buoy can be used to ascend, and a safety stop marker is attached to the shotline to assist divers in their ascents.

Dive Site 2, also indicated by an orange mooring buoy labeled "Dive Site 2 - 14m," should be approached with caution due to greater surge. This site is located near the peak of the reef and consists of three loops. It is recommended to follow the trails from deepest to shallowest, starting with trail 2A, then 2B, and finally 2C. However, please note that completing all three trails on one dive may not be feasible.

Trail 2A, known as "The Wall," involves descending from the shotline and following the topography on a decline with the reef wall on the left. Exploring the open side of the wreckage, divers can loop back with the reef wall on their right side before returning to the shotline.

Trail 2B, named "Double Bottom," requires heading south from the shotline as the depth drops down into a bowl. Divers should swim at a depth no greater than 18m until they reach the double hull section resting against the southern face of the reef. Within the reef structure, numerous crevasses can be explored. To return to the shotline, traverse the wreckage and head north.

Trail 2C, referred to as "Bow Structure," involves heading northwest from the shotline, following the topography upwards with the reef wall on the right. Gradually ascending, divers will eventually encounter the section of the bow structure. It is advisable to swim around the structure in an anticlockwise rotation (keeping the wreckage to the left) before following the topography back down toward the shotline.

With a visibility of approximately 10m, the Rena Wreck provides a captivating underwater experience for divers seeking a challenging and immersive dive site.