Pictures of the Astrolabe Reef made public following a recent dive survey, show a popular dive cave has survived the impact of the Rena grounding.

Photographers, Maketu-based Andy Belcher and Aucklander Darryl Torckler undertook a series of dives from July 20-21 to photograph the state of the reef and bow section of the sunken cargo ship on the reef.

Dive pictures from Astrolabe Reef.

The Rena on Astrolabe Reef in 2011.

The container ship Rena struck the reef about 25km off the coast of Tauranga on October 5 2011, spilling oil and cargo in the sea as it broke up in ensuing months. Salvors have worked nearly two years cleaning up the reef and reducing the wreckage.

Because of safety constraints divers and scientists have only recently been able to check on how the reef and its traditionally abundant marine life have fared.

Over two days Andy and Darryl undertook five dives on Astrolabe Reef, photographing the Rena wreck, debris fields and surrounding reefs. The maximum dived depth was 27 meters.

The divers say they were surprised by the abundance of fish life on and around the wreck that includes marblefish, black angelfish and kelp fish. The top wreck surfaces are covered in green algae and juvenile seaweeds.

Young blue Mao Mao and sweep are aggregating and frequently feeding on the top surfaces. Large blue Mao Mao have made their home underneath sections the hull.

'We swam north from the wreck, up a rocky rise and across a field of debris,” says the divers.

'On the walls we encountered normal species such as orange, yellow and gray sponges, nudibranchs, chitons, anemones, sea urchins, triplefins, red moki, spotties, black angel fish, sweep, blue Mao Mao, leather jackets, wrasses and many species of algae.

'As we swam down the drop-off Rena debris was not evident, except for a chain, which disappeared into the depths. It was encrusted with a diverse range of algae and butterfly perch were hovering under it.

'On the drop-off we also spotted butterfly perch, blue Mao Mao, demoiselles, wrasses, octopus, red crabs, nudibranches and triplefins down to a depth of 22 meters. Seeing all this life made it hard to imagine that the wreck was being salvaged at such close quarters.”

Both Andy and Darryl have dived Astrolabe Reef a number of times in past years before the Rena grounded.

'We were expecting a scene of total devastation. There is certainly an area of debris but the marine life on the reef generally seems more prolific now.

'We did dive in a large tomo in the reef, which has always been popular with divers. It contained no Rena debris and at a depth of 10meters its vertical rocky walls were adorned with bright yellow and orange sponges and large groups of butterfly perch. On exiting the cave we saw a large school of Spanish mackerel and an even larger school of Kahawai.”

Their overall impression after five dives on Astrolabe Reef is that it's still a wonderful place to dive.

'If the Rena wreck were to be made safer for divers and left on the reef it would undoubtedly become a major dive tourist attraction for the Bay of Plenty,” say Andy and Darryl.

They spent a whole weekend at Astrolabe Reef and made many observations above the water surface as well.

'As we watched a large salvage operation in progress we were also rather surprised to see that five seals resident on the breaking reef top were completely un-phased by all the salvage activity right beside them. We also witnessed shags diving on to the reef top and relaxing on the mooring buoys.”

The pair are also contracted to dive and photograph the stern section and surrounding debris field in deeper water, once Resolve' Salvage and Fire operations are completed to a stage where it will be safe to do so.

Resolve has completed the reduction of the bow to at least one metre below the lowest astronomical tide.

On the water priorities now include continuing to remove material from the debris field adjacent to the submerged stern section. To date 743 tonnes has been removed to land.

Salvors are removing the remaining contents from the last of the two plastic bead containers in cargo hold four. All contents from the first container have been removed.

A dive survey of cargo hold five is scheduled for next week weather permitting, to locate and assess the state of three containers, followed by a survey of cargo hold six at a later date.

Once completed, this work stream will have determined whether the four remaining containers of interest are still within the wreck, their condition and the appropriate way of dealing with them

Underwater survey and engineering preparations for the removal of the accommodation block in October are also underway through co-ordination with Rena Recovery Group scientists from the University of Waikato and Bay of Plenty Polytechnic on sediment, water quality and marine life sampling.