FV Lena
GPS: S 33° 20.578' E 115° 33.895'
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Location: Bunbury
Site depth: 17 metres
Divable conditions: Swell <1m
Visibilty: 10-20 metres
Vessel: Confiscated fishing vessel
Construction: Steel
Tons: Unknown
Vessel length: 55 metres
Wreck event: Purpose sunk 2003
Scuttled in 17 metres, three nautical miles off the coast of Bunbury is the wreck of the Lena. It is easily accessible by boat being only 15 minutes from the Bunbury Harbour boat ramp. The wreck provides an easy dive site but is best dived in low winds and light swell, only one charter vessel operates from Bunbury to the Lena through Octopus Garden Dive Charters.
The Russian registered "Lena" was apprehended by the Royal Australian Navy after being observed poaching Patagonian Toothfish in Australian territory, 4000 kilometres south of Albany. The vessel was then brought to Fremantle and was placed under the control of the Australian Fisheries Management Authority where it was due to be scuttled in deep water. The Bunbury Chamber of Commerce and Industry then put forward and won a bid to acquire the Lena with the intention of sinking the vessel as a local attraction
On the 19th December 2003 the Lena was successfully scuttled by explosives 3 miles off the Bunbury coast. After 12 months of preparation as an artificial reef and dive attraction, the vessel came to rest with her bow heading to the west in 17 metres of water.
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The easily accessible wreck makes for an excellent dive site teeming with life, with much of the dive between 8 and 14 metres. The relatively shallow wreck allows great bottom times to really get around and explore the 55 metre long fishing vessel. As noticed over the 2022/23 summer dive season sections of the wreck are deteriorating and collapsing throughout each winter when the site experiences large swells. The recommended swell limit for the site listed above has been reduced to 1 metre, the site is divable in higher swell, but if divers are intending to penetrate the wreck, they should exercise caution and be observant to sections of deck plating being unstable in all swell conditions.
