Cromwell Bridge
Last week when down in Wanaka running a Dry and Drift Instructor course for Simone and Lance, owners of Dive Queenstown I was fortunate enough to get the opportunity to do a different type of wreck dive.
In the 80’s Rob Muldoon the then New Zealand Prime Minister undertook what were to be called numerous "Think Big" projects. One of them was to build a huge dam across the Clutha Gorge damming the river. Unlike today where this sort of project would meet huge opposition from environmentalists and the like, the project went ahead and in 1992 the dam was completed and Lake Dunstan was formed.
One of the main casualties of the flooding off the valley was Old Cromwell Town, the town dated back to the gold mining days and had many historical buildings and an old bridge which lead out of the Town and across the Gorge. Once the gorge and valley flooded the bridge was a good 12 metres under water at the up-most part and over 30 meters to the old river bed below.
Lance and Simone who operate Dive Queenstown have now found the old bridge and run regular dive trips from their base in Queestown. The bridge itself is iron with stonework piles and is an interesting fresh water dive. Although the vis was a bit low when I dived it there was still a lot to see. The current is very gentle so no concerns there.
If you are ever down in Queestown area, give Lance or Simone a call on 027 337 2363, if your concerned about the water temp, then Dive Queenstown can supply Otter Dry-suits to keep you warm and toasty, the walk up out of the Gorge after dive goes along way to getting the body core temp up also if it gets a bit low.
cheers Brent