Gemini WH-301
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GPS: S 31° 37.142'
E 115° 33.626'
Location: Mindarie
Site depth: 30 metres
Divable conditions: Light wind, <1.5m swell
Visibilty: 5-30 metres
Vessel: Hopper Barge
Construction: Steel
Tons: 860 tons
Vessel length: 36.5 metres
Wreck event: Purpose sunk 1993
The hopper barge WH-301, or better know as the "Gemini". Built in 1962, the Gemini was originally put to work in New South Wales, joined to her sister ship the WH-302 to form a drilling dredge pontoon. After being separated from WH-302, the Gemini found its way to Western Australia where it was eventually sold to a local charter operator, Mr John Clark. With the assistance of the Royal Australian Navy, Tamar Marine and other local businesses the Gemini was deliberately sunk on the 9th September 1993. Scuttled 6 nautical miles offshore and 8.4 nautical miles north west of Mindarie marina at a depth of 30 metres. The Gemini was sunk with the purpose of being used as a diving and training site for local Advanced Open Water SCUBA divers.
The Gemini is accessible by boat in light winds and makes for a comfortable dive in a 1.5 metre swell or less. Although sunk as a wreck for divers, the Gemini is a popular site for fisherman targeting the Samson Fish that school on the wreck and it can be expected to share the site with other boats. The wreck lays upside down on a sandy sea floor at 30 metres on an almost east to west axis with the bow facing out to sea. Due to barge settling up side down, soon after the scuttling commercial divers removed sections on top of the wreck to allow penetration of the hull. The only local dive operator that runs charters to the Gemini wreck is Western Blue Dive Charters from Mindarie marina.
John Clarke and the Gemini:
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John Clarke was one of many pioneers in the Perth diving industry during the 80s and 90s. He contributed to the development of the Perth diving scene just as recreational diving boomed in Perth and Western Australia. Not only did John run his charter boat "Tako" on Perth's north coast, regularly taking divers out in the fledgling days of the industry, but he also discovered, researched, and reported on a number of wreck sites north from Two Rocks to the WA Museum. However, John's most lasting legacy to Perth divers and recent charter boat operators is that he is the man responsible for personally funding and facilitating the scuttling of the Gemini, located in 30 metres of water north of Mindarie marina.
The images shared from John's personal collection show the extensive structure and deck layout of the Gemini as it was being prepared and then towed to its final position off Yanchep. The images show what an appealing site it was to become as an artificial reef and dive site. Unfortunately, as the Gemini descended to the seafloor, it rolled inverted and settled with its hull upright, crushing the deck arrangements beneath the weight of the barge. This led to the square access panels, visible today, being cut into the hull underwater to open the wreck up to divers.
All images displayed of the Gemini prior to scuttling are provided by John Clarke from his personal collection