Meet the site
The Himma is the small, deep and slightly notorious member of the Long Reef wreck group. She began life in 1942 as the Empire Pat, a 274-ton steam tug built by Cochrane and Sons at Selby for the British Ministry of War Transport, and served the Royal Navy in the Persian Gulf. After the war she was renamed Himma and from 1951 to 1972 worked Sydney Harbour as a berthing tug before being sold to Port Moresby interests. Returned to Sydney, she was scuttled in 1980 by NSW Fisheries as an artificial reef intended to attract fish for anglers; the experiment was judged a failure, but the hull remains for divers. She sits upright on sand at 50 m, the deepest of the group, with the deck at around 46 m and the boiler room floor at 52 m where a large hole in the hull lets you look in. The engine room is empty, the machinery having been removed, but the boiler remains, and between the two a coal bunker compartment survives. The bridge collapsed around 1999 and the whole superstructure has now flattened, so the wreck presents as a compact tug hull with a surprisingly intact propeller and rudder. It is a fifteen-minute wreck: there is not enough of it to justify a long bottom time at this depth, and most people combine it with a Dee Why or Coolooli dive on another day rather than the same one. Fish life is sparse, kingfish and sergeant bakers being the usual company, and the attraction is really the clear water this far offshore, which often gives 15–20 m visibility over the pale sand. The Himma carries a sober history: in 1991 two divers died after becoming trapped in a silted lower compartment, which is why local practice is to look but not enter. It suits experienced decompression divers logging the full Long Reef group. Note that one charter website lists the Himma at recreational depth, which is incorrect; every primary source places it at 50 m.
Research this site before booking Stored site notes may be historical. These questions highlight gaps without turning old instructions into a current dive plan.
Himma wreck is recorded as Wreck in Sydney Northern Beaches. The listed access is boat. Confirm the actual meeting point, route and permission to visit; a map pin does not establish any of these.
Topics flagged by the stored research
These are questions prompted by the existing notes, not a verified or complete hazard assessment.
- Current and timing
- Ask how the operator assesses the current window for the actual route. Historical tide notes are not a departure instruction.
- Lines and obstructions
- Discuss any known entanglement concerns and the suitability of the planned area.
- Water movement
- Ask how swell and local exposure affect the proposed entry, exit and route.
- Overhead environments
- Ask whether the plan stays entirely in open water. A wreck or cave listing is not permission or training to enter.
Historical access notes exist for this record, but have not been independently verified for current use. Request current directions from the operator or site manager rather than following an old entry description.
Questions, answered
Is Himma wreck suitable for my certification?
The record lists Technical (decompression). That does not establish suitability for every route or day. Share your training, recent experience and equipment needs with the operator and ask about the specific proposed dive.
Can I book Himma wreck through YouDive?
YouDive is an independent research directory. Contact an operator directly to confirm whether it currently runs the trip, the inclusions and the booking terms.
What you might see
Kingfish, sergeant baker, bullseyes, occasional wobbegong, sponges on the hull
Location
Ex-Royal Navy tug Empire Pat, later the Sydney Harbour tug Himma, scuttled in 1980 a few hundred metres south-east of the Dee Why; upright on sand at 50 m.
Before you make plans
Conditions, access and operator schedules can change. This is a location guide, not a dive plan. Ask a local operator about current conditions and suitability for your training and experience.
Sources & further reading
michaelmcfadyenscuba.infomichaelmcfadyenscuba.infosydneydivecharters.com.auRecord updated 26 Sept 2026. Source claims are being reviewed.