Exploring the whale chaser

Another nice wreck to do some scuba diving on is the Cheynes III. This ship was built in 1947 in Egnland and it was a sister ship to the Cheynes II. The ship was sold in 1962 to Whale Products Pty. Ltd. in Queensland. The ship was named Looma III. The next year Cheynes Beach Whaling Company purchased the Looma III and renamed it to the Cheynes III. In 1978 whaling was banned and the Cheynes III was out of work.

In 1982 this whale chaser was scuttled just off the western side of Michaelmas Island in King George Sound. This artificial reef lies in about 23 meters of water and although the hull is breaking up these days it's still possible to explore the engine room and the wheelhouse. The engine itself is on display at Whale World and is still working.