According to the Channel 9 Brenton Ragless Almanac for 2011, Adelaide’s weather in July is “On average . . . the coldest … of the year. . . Significant showers are common. The maximum is above 17° C on the 6 warmest days and the minimum below 5°C on the 6 coldest nights. On average, frost occurs on 3 nights. Winds on ½ of days exceed 12km/h at 9am & 16km/h at 3pm. Main directions are N-NE at 9am & SW to NW at 3pm”.
On 30th May, up to 4 waterspouts were seen near Avoca Beach, on NSW's central coast. Visit
http://www.nowpublic.com/environment/australia-waterspout-videos-storms-nsw-coast-2795735.html#ixzz1O1VBO1ss for details. Dive industry veteran Les Graham was in a boat at the site of the ex-HMAS Adelaide when 2 waterspouts could be seen approaching them. Divers that were in the water at the time were quickly retrieved. The group was able to film the 2 waterspouts and footage was featured on our 6pm news service. Les was interviewed by the TV channel. It was good to see him on TV. The boat apparently went further out to sea, where the 2 waterspouts could be watched from a distance.
The decommissioned frigate, the ex-HMAS Adelaide was sunk off Avoca Beach on the New South Wales Central Coast to become a dive wreck on 13th April. More than 10,000 spectators watched the sinking of the Adelaide. It took 2 minutes for her to sink after 16 separate explosive devices were detonated.
A good photo can be seen at http://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/news/buoys-removed-from-hmas-adelaide-site/story-e6freuy9-1226059476081 .
Early photos of divers visiting the wreck, taken by Robb Westerdyk, can be seen at
http://www.news.com.au/pictures/gallery-e6frflv9-1226040842380 . Within 1 month of the Adelaide’s scuttling, 2 navigational buoys had been sabotaged at the site. The police said that the offenders removed the buoys sometime between May 1 and May 13. Read more at http://www.news.com.au/breaking-news/buoys-removed-from-hmas-adelaide-site/story-e6frfku0-1226059460977#ixzz1O1KajQQg. According to the web page found at http://www.adelaidenow.com.au/ipad/its-just-a-dive-but-shipwreck-worth-78/story-fn6bqvxz-1226050147723 , “Divers will pay a minimum of $78 for a look at the wreck of the former HMAS Adelaide . . . . Divers with their own boat and gear will pay $18 per head and a $60 mooring fee. Commercial operators are expected to charge $80 for divers with gear or $140 for those requiring equipment. . . All divers must make a booking with accredited dive operators or Central Coast Tourism to obtain a permit.”
