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sHIpwrecks OF
d’pearl bay
by peter cOllIngs I NT ERNAT I ONAL AWARD WINNING AUTHOR, PHOTOGRAPHER & WRECK HUNTER
FOrward by JOHn wOmack
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WORLD CLASS SHIPWRECKS ON OUR DOORSTEP
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sHIpwrecks OF d’pearl bay by peter cOllIngs The 17th in our series of free e books
Gunter Bernert hovers over the gun mount of the IJN IRAKO
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CONTENTS INTRODUCTION
PAGE 7
IDENTITIY CRISIS
PAGE 10
TASK FORCE 38
PAGE 8
DIST ANCE CHART
PAGE 14
OKIKAWA MARU P
PAGE 14
IJN AKITSUSUMI
PAGE 21
EKKAI MARU
PAGE 26
KOGYO MARU
PAGE 30
IJN IRAKO
PAGE 35
OLYMPIA MARU
PAGE 43
TIRUKAZE
PAGE 48
LUSON GUNBOAT
PAGE 51
NANSIN MARU #27
PAGE 53
LCT 6 LANDING CRAFT
PAGE 58
KYOKUZAN MARU
PAGE 59
THE REEFS
PAGE 62
SANTA MONICA ISLAND
PAGE 62
LUSON REEF
PAGE 63
KALUMBYAN REEF, BUGOR REEF
PAGE 64
BARACUDA LAKE
PAGE 65
MARINE LIFE PHOTO GALLERY
PAGE 67
PORTO DEL SOL
PAGE 69
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FORWARD by JOHN WOMACK I am John Womack Snr, BSAC First Class Diver, Advanced Instructor & owner of Otter Drysuits in Yorkshire, having dived the Britannic, Prince of Wales, Repulse and the Victoria plus many more over the last 40 years I would not go anywhere in the Red Sea without one of Peter's guide books. I have been on numerous successful trips of Peter's including wreck searching in Truk La goon. Peter's new book is awesome, there are so many wrecks and to give detailed descriptions of all the wrecks themselves is great, it makes you feel like you have dived them already. I remember doing a night dive on the Thistlegorm which was just fantastic it was pitch black with pin points of light from fellow divers lights.In the south, Peter, Tom and myself went looking for the wreck of the Maidan on Rocky Island, we followed the debris trail down to 65mtrs and there before us was the huge sha dow of the wreck hanging over the abyss starting at 80 mtrs. We could only look down in wonder, but we had found what we were looking for after 10 years. Peter's trips are a must and very much like his trips his books are a must read, Peter is a walking encyclopa edia on all things diving and ship wrecks. A lot of great ships were made in the North East and it comes as no surprise to me that this is where Peter came from too, we have been friends /fellow wreck divers a lot of years and hope to be sharing experiences and books for many more years to come.
John Womack MD Otter Watersports Yorkshire.March 2018 Otter Drysuits, UK This series of guides is respectfully dedicated to this great man. I am proud to have called him friend and shared his last dive. JOHN MICHAEL WOMACK 23 MARCH 1943- 30 TH NOV.2018
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INTRODUCTION In 2014 after a gap of 10 years I returned to the region to further explore these fascinating wrecks and to update the previous publications. M y visit was to be hosted by Gunter B, Perhaps the most experienced and knowledgeable wreck diver in the area. With Gunters help I was to see these wrecks in a new light-both from the outside and within their depths. Often overshadowed by the wrecks of Truk Lagoon, this collection of shipwrecks offers the visiting diver some memorable moments, thrilling dives deep into their interiors and unforgettable maritime encounters. Gunters dive centre is ideally located-the OKIKAWA M ARU no more than a few minutes away- in the quite waters known as D PEARL BAY. Other world class wrecks such as the AKTSUSUM I and IJN IRAKO are both within a short boat ride. The warm, calm waters are home to some 12 wrecks and indeed some superb reefs, all inhabited with world class bio diverse marine life. Lying between Palawan and M indoro, Busuanga is the largest island in the Calamian Group . It is an island of staggering beauty-and the D’Pearl remains unsp oilt thanks to very subtle developments. There are large Pearl farms and marine bio centres nestled in the quest bays and inlets which make up the area. While this book fits neatly into our wreck divers guide series, it would be criminal not to mention the vibrant reef and unique echo sy stems. While the wrecks are living reefs the reefs are living reefs! M any of the vessels featured in this publication are of Japanese origin, the letters IJN preceding the ships name refer to a naval vessel (Imperial Japanese Navy). M erchants ships are designated with the word M ARU after their name.(Maru roughly translated means “to go around”) In the case of an “auxiliary naval” vessel, such as a fleet oiler the correct designate would be IJN and not M aru. M ost Japanese vessels had their name embossed in both English as well as Japanese characters, due to international shipping procedures and canal transfers.
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Identity crisis. There has been a great deal of confusion over the identity of several of the vessels, indeed on my first visit M ark Bush (Diverite) took me through a wreck he named as the Olympia M aru, however the engines did not match her specifications..... A vessel labelled the TAIEI M ARU has now been identified as the OKIKAWA M ARU. Other previous reports further increased the confusion; “Another vessel with the letters CEI...SH is thought to be the EKKAI M ARU (EX M orazan),however one research expert notes; “M oreover, Ekkai M aru ex-M orazan M aru had been bombed and definitely sunk by TF 38 in Manila harbour on 22 Sep 1944. The reason why many want to be and self-made researchers still believe that Ekkai M aru was sunk in Coron Bay is very simple. According to the JANAC list she was lost in Coron Bay. The JANAC list was issued in 1947 when Japan was still devastated and Japanese naval experts willing to assist the Americans were not available. M ost guys are using this source today as it is freely available, however, for serious researchers it has become obsolete and useless”. “According to General Headquarters of the U.S. M ilitary History Section the Ekkai M aru was sunk in M anila on 22 Sep 1944. This source was published after meticulous evaluation of the Imperial Japanese naval operations in WW II in 1952! The ship in Coron Bay is not the Ekkai M aru ex M orazon M aru.” Another confusing factor is the duplication of ships names. DODAS lists no less than 3 different Shinkoku M aru’s –all sinking in different places at different times during WW2.Okikawa is also listed as OKIGAWA. The Japanese used the phonetic Katakana sy llabary to describe place names for most locations outside of Japanese territory and China. In most cases these Katakana names were phonetic representations of original English, Spanish, Dutch, M alay and Indonesian names. In some cases, the Bahasa Indonesia rendering of the name was different from the Colonial Dutch rendering of the same name. After Indonesia's independence from the Netherlands there were a number of name changes with Dutch and Anglo names excised. Thus, the noted locations given in the TROM are sp eculative at best. Perhaps only the salvors, who presumably took the bells, engine room plaques etc have any idea of some of the true identities.
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TASK FORCE 38 Aft er the successful missions of Operation Hailstorm and Desecrate One Task Force 38 consisted of USS Princet on (CVL-23),USS Cabot 11 (CVL-28),Lexington((CV-16) and Intrepid (CV-11)
Tactical control of the Third Fleet rested with the air combat genius of the Pacific Fleet, Vice Admiral M arc A. M itscher, who was in command of Task Force 38 from the aircraft carrier USS LexingtonIn command was Admiral William F Bull Halsey - Commander 3rd Fleet,Vice Admiral M arc A. M itscher - Commander Task Force 38 Between The Battle of the Philippine Sea, June 19th and 20th 1944, and The Battle of Leyte Gulf, October 23rd to 26th 1944, the Japanese attempted to reinforce their forces occupying the Philippines. The carrier group was patrolling east of Leyte in the Phiilppines, when a report of “unusual shipping” came in from the Calamain Island group. On the 24th September 1944
On 24 September 1944 96 Grumman F6F “Hellcat” fighters and 24 Curtiss SB2C “Helldiver” dive-bombers of Vice Admiral M itscher’s Task Group 38.3’s Air Group 18 from INTREPID (CV-11), AG-31 from CABOT (CVL-28) and AG-19 based on M itscher's flagship LEXINGTON (CV-16) take off to attack the anchorage at Coron Bay, Busuanga Island, Palawan, 340 miles away. Their targets are no less than 11 Japanese freighters. A further rumour that the vessels had been camouflaged has been dismissed by studying photographs from the attack. The Americans had broken the morse code radio traffic, and attacked the ships within 48 hours of their arrival.
Unlike Truk Lagoon, these ships offered no resistance in terms of air cover or self protection, and the only problems the aircraft encountered was with their own long range fuel tanks which in some cases wouldn’t jettison, causing “targeting errors”-according to the flight crews. Never 11
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the less the action was decisive and by the end of the mission all but a few of the vessels were sunk. The IJN Kamoi, another aircraft tender/ oiler had escaped to the south after being hit .The passive action fuels one theory that most of the vessels were indeed dummies-floating hulks and decoys. Whether the Japanese fleet was sp otted by aerial photo reconnaissance interpreters who noticed that some camouflaged ships had moved, or whether Japanese radio transmissions were intercepted is still debated. Photos taken from the air during the attack do not show any signs of camouflage netting on the ships. The consequence of detection was a surp rise aerial attack by US Navy carrier based aircraft that sank the fleet at anchor. The US Third Fleet was under the command of Admiral William F. "Bull" Halsey aboard the battleship USS New Jersey. .Task Force 38 was engaged in the mission of naval air strikes against Japanese forces in the Philippines from Sept 21st to 24th 1944. Heavy air strikes against Japanese shipping in Manila Bay resulted in sinking 15 ships which forced the Japanese to move their remaining ships to other anchorages which they thought were out of range of US naval aircraft and land-based bombers. One of these secure anchorages was Coron Bay, only 12 to 16 hours steaming time from M anila. Located about 170 nautical miles southwest of M anila,in Busuanga and Coron Bay was a sup posedly safe assembly area for Japanese shipping. The cargo ship Ky okuzan M aru and two others were anchored in a small bay on the northeast coast of Busuanga Island. M any of the ships arrived in Coron Bay South west of Busaunga Island on September 23rd. At least 8 ships were closely packed in Coron Bay, transport vessel Kogyo M aru carrying vital aircraft sp are parts for land based aircraft damaged during the Battle of the Philippine Sea, the freighter Olympia M aru, the oiler Kamoi, other cargo ships and one destroyer tried to conceal their presence in the narrow sound between Tangat island and Lusong island which confine the bay to the east and west. West, beyond Lusong Island, the seaplane tender Akitsushima and the oiler Okikawa Maru were swinging at their anchors in the slight tidal current On the morning of September 24th 1944 at 05.50, a total of 96 Grumman F6F Hellcat fighter escorts and 24 Curtiss SB2C Helldiver dive bombers took off on a flight to their targets 340 miles away. The raid on Coron was a long distance carrier based air strike and would only allow the aircraft a brief time over the Japanese fleet. At 0900 the strike force reached Busuanga Island, Palawan and found 12 large enemy ships anchored in Coron Bay and around Busuanga Island. After a 15 minute attack they left behind a carnage of burning and sinking ships. Editors note; This would dispel any doubt about the wrecks being decoys. .In the early morning of 24 September 1944, 22 American carrier-based dive bombers and 96 fighter escorts (some carrying bombs) of the Fast Carrier Task Force (TF) 38 surp risingly appeared. Without hesitation, a squadron of Curtiss Helldivers took on Akitsushima and Okikawa M aru. Although the seaplane tender was heavily armed and opened fire with all her guns, she was no match for the skilled dive bomber crews. A bomb hit the hull at the port side, causing a severe explosion. Wracked by fire and explosion from other impacts, Akitsushima 12
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went down in the passage between Lajo and Manglet Island. Fully laden with fuel oil, Okikawa M aru was fatally bombed and caught fire. However, she remained afloat and slowly began to drift to the north. , she was finally sank on by a second air attack on 9 October.
M eanwhile, the second bomber squadron had teamed up to sink the other ships. Ten dive bombers took on Olympia M aru. Three American pilots completed runs on the ship. It stood little chance after the fourth plane hit the midships section causing the engine to stop. Finally, Olympia M aru sank from the stern, becoming a graveyard for 19 crew members. In rapid succession, the remaining ships faced dive bombing attacks by the US Navy bombers. Kogyo M aru went down with no less than 39 seamen. Considerably armed with a variety of flak guns, Irako resp onded with ferocity . But even she was annihilated and sent to the bottom. The others suffered a similar fate. The final casualty of the morning was the Kyokuzan M aru, which had erroneously felt secure on her natural anchorage far to the northeast. She and two other ships were attacked by planes from the USS Lexington. Damage and a fire was reported on one of the ships. The Ky okuzan M aru was scuttled by the Japanese. Badly damaged, the oiler Kamoi was able to escape and to make it back to Hong Kong.
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TRAVELLING TIM E TO THE WRECKS : FROM Peuerto Del Sol, M aritime Resort Community of D’Pearl Bay
Okikaw a Akitasushima EikkiMaru (Morizan/Olympia) Kogyo Maru Irako Olympia Maru (Tangat Wreck) East Tangat Gunboat Lusong Gunboat Blsck Island Wreck /Nanshin Maru no 27) Landing Craf t
Distance (in Nautical Miles) 1 NM 2.5NM 4NM 4.5NM 5NM 6NM
Estimated Travel Time 5 Minutes 12 Minutes 30 Minutes 35 Minutes 35 Minutes 40 Minutes
7NM 4NM 15NM
55 Minutes 25 Minutes 90 Minutes
4NM
25 Minutes
IJN OKIKAWA (OKIGAWA)(aka TAEI maru) Type: Navy Auxiliary Oiler (AO), Jap. "Juy u-sen" Built = 1926 - 1930 Length 160.51 m; Breadth 20.0 m Draft 9.18 m Gross tonnage = 10,043 gt. Prop ulsion = 1 x 8,600 shp direct triple expansion steam engine; 1 shaft/1 screw/1 rudder. M ax. sp eed = 18.5 knots Armament = 1 x 1 - 1.0" (2.5 cm) AA gun in special stand on poop deck? Arguably the best wreck (Gunter disagrees) in this area- based on its closeness to the dive centre, its size, marine life and “kind” depths. It is worthy of a weeks diving alone-add to that the photo opportunities-and whether or not it is the Okikawa or not it is a world class wreck. Below is a potted history of the ships movements leading up to the attack.
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HISTORY; OKIKAWA M ARU departs Singapore in sp ecial convoy "G" consisting of tanker M IRI M ARU and transport ASAM A M ARU and two unidentified ships escorted by destroyer URANAM I. 31 December 1943: At 0600, OKIKAWA M ARU departs M oji in convoy HI-29 consisting of tankers KUROSHIO and (ex cargo) GOYO M ARUs, cargo passenger ships KACHIDOKI (exPRESIDENT HARRISON) and ASOSAN M ARUs escorted by kaibokan SADO. That same day, fleet oiler ASHIZURI and sister SHIOYA depart Sasebo and join the convoy. OKIKAWA M ARU and ASHIZURI arrive at Singapore 2 February 1944: At 1300, OKIKAWA M ARU departs Singapore in convoy HI-38 consisting of transports KAGU and KACHIDOKI (ex-PRESIDENT HARRISON) M ARUs and tankers AM ATSU, OTOWASAN, OM INESAN and NICHINAN M ARUs escorted by kaibokan KANJU and fleet oiler ASHIZURI. 27/28 February 1944: Departs Takao for M anila likely as part of convoy HI-47 that left at midnight for Tarakan, Balikpapan and Singapore consisting of oilers AM ATSU, OM INESAN, OTOWASAN and KYOKUHO M ARUs and NOSHIRO M ARU and four unidentified merchant ships escorted by kaibokan IKI, ETOROFU and SADO. 15 M arch 1944: At 1000, OKIKAWA M ARU departs Singapore in convoy HI-50 consisting of tankers M ANEI and EIHO M ARUs and ten unidentified merchant ships escorted by destroyer SHIOKAZE and kaibokan SADO.Route-Cape St Jacques. M anila. Takao. M ako. Arikawa, Goto Retto. M oji.Ap ril 1944. OKIKAWA M ARU loads 100-tons of bombs and aircraft materials.20 Ap ril 1944: At 0600, departs M oji-M utsure in ballast for Singapore with kaibokan KURAHASHI, CD10, CD-11 and CD-20 escorting convoy HI-59 consisting of tankers NIPPPO, EIHO, M ANEI (BANEI), OTORISAN and NIYO M ARUs and probably KINUGASA, NOSHIRO and TEIRITSU M ARUs and tanker NICHINAN M ARU No. 2. Route; Chusan Islands Group . Takao.M anila 4 M ay 1944:Departs M anila and arrives at Corregidor. Disembarks 252 p assengers. 5 M ay 1944:OKIKAWA M ARU receives Combined Fleet radio order No. 75 that attaches her to the Combined Fleet's 1st M obile Fleet. Departs Corregidor. Route; Balikpapan, Borneo. Tawi Tawi. Palau. Balikpapan, Borneo. Davao.Tawi Tawi, Philippines. 6 June 1944: At 1600, departs Tawi Tawi for Balikpapan in a convoy consisting of two unidentified tankers escorted by destroyers M INAZUKI and WAKATSUKI and an unidentified warship.route: Balikpapan.Kanaru Bay, NEI. 21 September 1944 At 0830, OKIKAWA M ARU refuels destroyer SATSUKI. At about 0900, about 200 aircraft of Task Force 38 begin daylong strikes on M anila. OKIKAWA MARU stops refueling SATSUKI. Thereafter, planes from TG 38.1, TG 38.2 and TG 38.3 sink SATSUKI. OKIKAWA M ARU is strafed and suffers minor damage, but at 1545, OKIKAWA M ARU is hit by a bomb port side amidships. 15
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Field M arshal Terauchi Hisaichi, CINC, Southern Army issues an order, to transfer all supply ships from Manila to the relative security of Coron Bay off Palawan Island, . At 2200, OKIKAWA M ARU departs M anila for Coron Bay, Calamian Islands in the Taihi (refugee) convoy with CHINZEI, BAIKAL, TENHI, TAITEN, OLYM PIA, EKKAI and KOGYO M ARUs and stores ship IRAKO escorted by minelayer AOTAKA and auxiliary subchasers SHONAN M ARU No. 11, HAKKO M ARU, CHa-60 and CHa-61. 22September1944:At 1730, the Taihi convoy arrives at Coron Bay and anchors near the town of Concepcion.(D’p earl Bay) 24September1944:At 0550, 96 Grumman F6F “Hellcat” fighters and 24 Curtiss SB2C “Helldiver” dive-bombers of M arc A. M itscher's (former CO of HORNET, CV-8) Task Group 38.3’s Air Group 18 from INTREPID (CV-11), AG-31 from CABOT (CVL-28) and AG-19 based on Mitscher's flagship LEXINGTON (CV-16) take off to attack the anchorage at Coron Bay, Busuanga Island, Palawan, 340 miles away. The Taihi convoy is ordered to disperse. At 0855, Air Group 31’s fighter-bombers start their attack. The first groups strafe OKIKAWA M ARU, but at 0910, the dive-bombers score a bomb hit p ortside aft At 0918, she is hit in a boiler room and engine room by bombs. OKIKAWA M ARU catches fire and is abandoned. Three gunners and about five sailors are killed. OKIKAWA M ARU sinks. After the attack, the ship’s burning forecastle is still visible. Flying boat tender AKITSUSHIM A, fleet food ship IRAKO and OLYM PIA, EKKAI, KYOKUZAN and KOGYO M ARUs and smaller ships are also sunk during the raid. 9thOctober1944:Another TF 38 air group strikes Coron Bay again. The planes finish off OKIGAWA M ARU’s hulk. .“ Uncertainty surrounds the final fate of OKIKAWA MARU. Although most sources report the ship as sunk at Coron and a wreck of the right size has been found, doubts still remain for som e. For example, Senji Yuso Sendan Shi does not list OKIKAWA MARU as part of the Taihi convoy, but does list 2TL tanker TAIEI MARU. A photo taken by TG 38.3 prior to attack on shipping off Busuanga Island clearly shows a 2TL tanker- almost certainly TAIEI MARU - in the Tangat area, east of where the wreck of a large tanker was found. OKIKAWA MARU probably refuelled SATSUKI on 21 September immediately prior to the latter's sinking. SATSUKI's wreck is unlocated on the wreck map of Manila and probably lays between Manila (present day south harbour) outside the breakwater and Cavite. The possibility exists that OKIKAWA MARU was sunk nearby.” However photographs of both the Taiei and Okikawa show different mast configurat ions-and those on the wreck mat ch the Okikawa, not the Taiei. It is thought that the T aiei escaped.
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THE WRECK TODAY Authors note: having dived over different 500 wrecks worldwide, I can say with certainty that the start of the exploration of this great wreck is quite unique-through the prop shat tunnel. We did try this with the M.V MARCUS in the Red Sea, but the propshaft got in the way. If we are to believe that the stripping of this wreck took place after the sinking, then Cox and Danks (Scapa Flow) would tip their hats to the salvors!
This the largest of the D’Pearl Bay shipwrecks. She is akin to the Shinkoko M aru in Truk, an upright tanker, engine room aft, and connecting pipe bridges to the centre island and fo’c’sle. The entire wreck is a living reef-some dive centres boast a house reef-this then in the House wreck-reef! Huge orange coral bushes flourish everywhere-several with glassy sweepers and thus lionfish.
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Anemones, hosts to the fearless clown fish abound though out and add a blaze of colour , while the clowns add a sense of humour-their bravery unbound-be afraid be very afraid!
Elsewhere huge fans (gorginia) block the route through companionways and these in turn sup port a myriad of invertebrate marine life. Long nose Hawkfish are everywhere.
The pipe bridge with its cross bracing lattice work p rovides great shelter for groupers, angels, batfish and a host of other reef fishes. Up right structures are colonised with many filter feeders, feather stars , and more coral bushes. Look out for the curios shoals of file fishes-swimming and sweeping-upside down. And so far we are only in 16 mtrs! Let’s not forget also the amazing variety of nudibranchs found on this wreck-see page 72 for more on these amazing creatures.
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Although the wreck has been thoroughly salvaged there is still much to explore. The mooring line is attached to the stern(It should be noted that this wreck is subject to strong tidal flows and the line is covered in barnacles) Drop ping down over the stern rail brings the rudder into view.2 mtrs off the seabed is a large hole this is the entrance into the engine roomvia the prop shaft tunnel. A good torch will reveal encrusting life everywhere. Entering into the engine room reveals a huge void where the engine should be. Several workshops, antirooms flank the sp ace and still have portholes and fittings. The odd piece of machinery, overlooked by the salvors still remains. Progressing forward through vertical sup ports and bomb damage, the route leads through the empty tanks past the venter island structure to more devastation. Here the bow section towers up above pointing sky ward. Amongst this huge tangle of pipes girders and beams groupers and grunts carry on regardless, giving the brief visitor a cursory glance. Scorpion and Crocodile fish are even less interested.
The bow sits vertical cathedral like. It is possible to enter the fo’c’sle through a hatch and swim down through the bow section emerging in the debris field. After exploring the bow section with its vertical fo’c’sle the route back to the shot line is via the vast decking area with several stairwells descending deep into her hull, to be explored at another time. Again there are coral bushes, anemones, sp onges and many reef fish. At this deck level more accommodation areas can be found and the force of the explosions can be seen in the bend girders and collapsed floors. In some places the headroom is just over 1 mtr, so good buoyancy and advanced finning techniques are required. The stern section itself is worthy of a dive and a great place to while away any remaining bottom time. Again there are forests of coral bushes trees of finger sp onge and barrel sp onges as well as more anemones.
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IJN AKITSUSHIMA
The IJ N Akit sus hima , flying boat tender, shown here with an EMILY f lying boat..
Type: Seaplane tender (AV); Jap. " Suijoki Bokan", ty pe designator: As Length 118 m; Breadth15.7 m Disp lacement 4,724 tons . Built 1940/41 Prop ulsion 4 x 2,000 shp geared Diesel engines, 2 shafts/2 screws/2 rudders Armament 4 x 4.7"/50 cal. (12 cm) high angle guns in twin turrets; 10 x 1.0" (2.5 cm) AA guns in twin mountings One of only two of this type of vessel ever built.
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HISTORY
The IJN Akitsushima was a seaplane tender/carrier built by Kawasaki Heavy Industries Co., Kobe/Japan and launched 29 Ap ril 1942: Completed, and assigned to the 25th Air Division, 11th Air Fleet.
15 M ay 1942: Sailed to Saipan and Rabaul. 1943: Arrive at Truk. Remains to the end of the year. January 1944: Remains at Truk throughout, same assignment to Combined Fleet forces 17 February 1944: Slightly damaged by the Operation Hailstone. 9 December. Air-raided at Truk by TF 58.0620: Two 1,000 pound bombs dropped by planes from USS ENTERPRISE strike the ship; one forward of the bridge, the other on the very end of the fantail, damaging the crane. 24 September 1944: Air-raided at Coron: attacked by more than thirty planes from U.S. TF 38, and suffered two direct bomb hits at 0905. One of these was a large bomb hit on the stern catapult track. This set off an enormous explosion, fuelled by aviation-gas fires, that completely blew out the shell on the port quarter, and the stern was kept from breaking loose only by the keel and plates on the starboard side. Capsized to port rapidly and at 0915 settled on her side to the bottom in position 11-59'N, 119-58'E. Desp ite the sp eed of the sinking, M inesweeper # 41 and naval transport T-102 rescued Captain Fujimaki, 25 officers, and most of the crew or they swam to shore, but 4 officers and 82 ratings were lost..
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THE WRECK TODAY
The Akitsushima now lies on her side with the huge crane jib horizontal, covered in coral growths. M any bat fish p lay I and out of the cross bracings Lying off the tip of the jib is the huge pulley wheel, the steel cables still drape down covered in marine growth and featherstars. Lying behind the jib close to the wreck is a triple anti- aircraft gun sitting upright looking to fire on.
Due to the damage to the decking it is p ossible to explore the gearing for the cranes turntable “below decks� right at the stern. From here the swim forward allows access into the engine room. Again this is huge but damage from the attack and salvage has resulted on some sections 23
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of confused metal. Lining out and a good torch is essential. Forward of this is a huge break in the hull and it is possible to exit here and swim forward to the huge radio mast-Stretching out horizontally, the lattice work is again covered in vibrant marine life-sp onges sea squirts corals and anemones. Its form makes caves, overhangs and tunnels for fish to play in. A favourite with glassy sweepers and thus the predatorial Lionfish.
The bridge has collapsed but the framework structure does offer some penetration possibilities, indeed entering the companionways it is possible to swim back to the aft section exiting through the break in the hull, The upper hull side (starboard) is a virtual coral reef, with the gunwales abounding with life. M uch of the aft deck is take up with a huge turntable and track and the cradle on which the Seaplane sat. Long off white finger sp onges decorate the deck fittings. One mounted 3-barreled AA (anti-aircraft) gun can be seen close to the flying boat tracks. The twin props were removed during the salvage operations.
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EKKAI MARU, ex-SS Manco and ex-SS Morazan,(previously listed as the Taiei Maru, CEI..SH wreck, Morozan Maru, Olympia Maru)) Authors note; Over the 15 year period of visiting this wreck, I have encountered numerous attempts to confirm her identity all seemed flawed and made assumptions. Due to the lack of the usual items which confirmed an identity (bell, engine builders plate, boiler plate etc) all I had to go one for sure was the place & date of sinking, her ship type (and her mast configuration), dimensions and the letters on the hull CEI... SH I made an assumption- I felt she was British, even Scottish perhaps-there were certain traits about her. So my assumption was she had been captured at Singapore; Lloyds could provide me with a list-that was a start point. Quite a long list, because it includes many other vessels captured by the Japanese, but after a lot of research and eliminations, my findings lead to a Scottish built vessel registered in La CEIBIA SPANISH HONDURUS. So the letters on the hull were her home port-(her name should be somewhere above) This was later confirmed in DODAS page Vol 1 207;“Ekkai Maru, formally the Panamanian Morazan, was seized by the Japanese and later sunk by US based Aircraft sept 24th 1944 S. of the Calamain Group Philippines� Other reports that she sank in M anila Bay but this is actually the EIKYU M aru
HISTORY (Ref DODAS VOL1 PAGE 207)
Launched as the SS M anco on the 27 November 1907, at the Scott's Shipbuilding and Engineering Company Ltd of Greenock, Scotland. She was a passenger/cargo vessel. built for the Iquitos Steamship Corporation. She was 300. ft long, 45 ft beam and displaced 3,140 tons. She could accommodate 65 First class and 92 Third Class passengers. She had four cargo holds with 154,940 cubic feet of storage. She had a single Scott's triple expansion engine when built giving a maximum sp eed of 12 knots.
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Her maiden voyage was on 15 February 1908. She sailed via Hamburg to South America and sailed 2000 miles up the Amazon River to Iquitos in western Peru. She was sold to the Booth line in 1911 and she worked the routes between Britain, Brazil and New York until the outbreak of World War I, when she served in the Royal Navy as a fleet auxiliary under her own name. In 1921 the Manco was sold to the Vaccaro Brothers Steamship Company and renamed as the SS Morazan after the Honduran patriot. At the same time, the boilers of the vessel were converted from coal to oil. She then worked between New Orleans and Central America as a banana boat. In 1923 she was sold on to the M exican American Fruit and Steamship Company. Then in 1927, due to company re- structuring ownership of the vessel was transferred to the Seaboard Steamship Company, owned by Standard Fruit . She then worked the Mexico to New Orleans run. Her home port was La Ceiba, Spanish Honduras. In 1941 the SS Morazan was sold, along with several other vessels to Wallem and Company in Hong Hong. The SS Morazan was seized by the Japanese on 8 December 1941 in Shanghai, China.(ref Lloyds WW2 losses) The ship was renamed Ekkai Maru and assigned to the Japanese M erchant fleet as an army cargo ship, presumably due to her troop carrying capabilities.. Later She was then assigned to the Taiti Convoy bound for Busuanga. On arrival attempts were made to disguise the vessel which had was anchored in the area between Tangat and Lusong Island with a number of other ships. Late on the afternoon of 23 September 1944, Fast Carrier Task Force (TF) 38 under the command of Vice Admiral "Bull" Halsey positioned itself for an attack on the ships in the Coron area. At 5.50 am on 24 September 1944, 180 Grumman F6F Hellcat and Grumman SB2C Helldiver planes lifted off the American and headed off on the 350 kilometre flight for the waters of Coron.
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THE WRECK TODAY Located on the north-eastern side of Lusong Island, the Ekkai Maru is a smaller vessel than some of the other wrecks and lies on its starboard side in 25 metres of water. Her masts reach out into the blue and are a living reef of corals and fish and the holds are found either side of the masts fore and aft of the superstructure The sup erstructure is flanked by a framework of companionway sup ports and deck frames. There are three floors to explore, although the attitude of the wreck, at right angles to the norm can be dis-orientating. It is possible to swim “up� one deck without changing depth by locating the stairwell opening which connect each deck. A guided tour is well advised. These are covered in life and make sup erb swim throughs and great photo opportunities.
Amidships on the port (upper side) is a huge gaping hole from the bomb blast, the metal peeled back like paper and a dark hole beckons into her engine room.
Huge coral bushes stand high from her gunwales, and many shoals of small fish find shelter within. The curious file fish, which swims upside down sways back and forth in small groups in and out of the golden fronds. The upper side of the wreck is a living reef, the coral bushes home to many lionfish groupers and reef fishes. Lying in sheltered waters, it is a wreck for all levels of experience.
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KOGYO MARU
Type: Navy Auxiliary Supply Ship (AG), Jap. "Yuso-sen" Length over all 129.07 m; Breadth 18.0 m Draft 8.05 m. Gross tonnage 6,353 gt. Prop ulsion 2 x 1.950 shp geared steam turbines from Ishikawajima Shipbuilding & Engineering Co., Ltd.; 4 waterpipe boilers, oil fired; 1 shaft/1 screw/1 rudder Armament 2 x 3 - 1.0" (2.5 cm) AA guns on top of bridge deck + 2 x 1 - 1.0" AA guns on circular stands on forecastle and poop deck Built 13 Feb 1927 at Uraga Dock Co., Ltd., Uraga ,for Okada Gumi Kisen Kaisha, Osaka converted 13 Oct 1931 and 13 May 1941 The Kogyo M aru was built in 1938 by Uraga Dock Co Ltd, Uraga, Japan for Okada Gumi KK. The ship was 6353 tons, 129 mts. long, and 18 mts. wide. She was p owered by two oil fuelled steam turbines (517Nhp ) geared to a single shaft. The engines were built by Ishikawajima Shipbuilding and Engineering Co Ltd, Tokyo. Her home port was Osaka. After she had survived the air attacks on M anila B ay from TF 38 on the 21st September 1944 she sailed to her final resting place by the 23rd.The crew had worked all night to camouflage the ship with local palm trees and foliage but was bombed during the daylight raid with a loss of 39 men THE WRECK TODAY
The wreck lies on is starboard side in 35 mtrs Her portside is in 20mtrs, sloping away towards the keel. and is totally covered in marine growth-in particular stunning orange gorgonian which in turn are the home to hundreds of reef fishes All along the portside gunwalewhere the deck meets the hull marine life flourishes reaching out into the tidal flow to feed; featherstars cling to finger sp onge and coral branches, and clown fish and anemones-at least 3 sp ecies noted-are dotted everywhere. Be afraid very afraid! 30
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Lionfish are a photographers delight, they have great colouring and very charismatic features, and all along the side of the wreck they gather in large numbers using the coral bushes as a hunting ground.
It is possible to swim through into all six holds most of which are empty. The second hold contains bags of cement, a small bulldozer, a tractor and air compressor- perhaps she was to service the construction of an airfield. M uch of the cargo has fallen on top itself so it can be difficult to make out the features. Back on the deck there are two gun mounts-looking like circular wheels.
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The bridge and engine room require a dive a part, with many easy points of access. The port side is literally a coral reef with schools of barracuda and jacks marauding the perimeter. Huge coral bowls cover the hull and this in turn offers protection and habit for shoals of stripped snapper ,sweetlips grunts and even a huge cuttlefish
The gunwales favour long whip corals, rising over a meter above the wreck-dull brown until they are illuminated by strobe light –then they appear like flames rising from the wreck. The curious file fish lives here in 30+ numbers adding to the scene.
As her kingposts are intact they reach out horizontally and are a dive in their own right- and there are four of them especially when looking for the intricate wild life living amongst the corals
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IRAKO MARU
Type: Provision Store Ship/Reefer (AF); Jap. "Ky uryo-kan", type designator: Tp Length 146.9 m; Breadth 19.05 m Draft 5.94 m ,Disp lacement 9,570 tons. Prop ulsion 2 x 4,150 shp geared oil fired steam turbines, 6 Kampon-type boilers, oil + coal fired; 2 shafts/2 screws/1 rudder Armament 2 x 4.7"/50 cal. (12 cm) high angle guns in single armoured stands; 5 x 1.0" (2.5 cm) AA guns in single stands; numerous depth charges in poop deck racks Built by Kawasaki Heavy Industries Co., Kobe/Japan M ay 1940 commissioned 5 Dec 1941
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HISTORY IJN Irako was ordered as a Special Service Ship (Jap. "Tokumu-kan") under the third 1937 sup plementary program. The ship was fitted with refrigeration sy stems throughout and was designed to carry fresh food and meats for the fleet. Her stores were large enough to sustain 250000 men for 2 weeks. 30thM ay1940: Kobe. Laid down at Kawasaki’s Shipyard as transport No. 74. Classified as a refrigerated freighter, she was 9723 tons, 146.9 metres long and 19 metres in the beam. Fitted with two steam turbine engines. 5 February 1941:Named IRAKO and provisionally attached to the Sasebo Naval District. 14 February 1941:Launched. 5 December 1941: Completed and reattached to the Sasebo Naval District. Departs Kobe to embark food and sup plies. January 1942 Engaged in transp ortation of foodstuffs between Saipan, Truk and Davao,Further voyages between the mainland and Singapore took place before 12 runs to Truk On 20 January 1944, she sustained heavy damage in an attack by USS Seadragon north of Truk 23September1944: IRAKO anchors between Tangat and Lusong Island along with some 12 other IJN auxiliary ships is dispersed in the coastal waters around the island, At 0855, Air Group 31’s fighterbombers start their attack. They attack the ships in Coron Bay and the ships to the west first. Their first strike scores direct hits in IRAKO’s midship section. Her bridge and superstructure catch fire. She begins to sink by the bow, and a brave attempt is made to save her cargo. A report that she was beached to aid this effort has been dismissed. She lies the sea and sinks at the mouth of Coron Bay.
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THE WRECK TODAY
Descending the shotline a field of golden coral bushes comes immediately into view, and the visitor could be forgiven for remaining here for the whole dive. Lionfish prowl the bushes looking for an unsusp ecting victim-they hunt in packs-a pride of lionfish??
Every upright girder, lifeboat davit or sp ar seems to attract swirling, schooling fish, and every inch of wreckage is smothered in life.at times it is difficult to establish just what the structure is-several gun mounts sit forward of the bridge section on the route to the anchorless bow.
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This is perhaps one of the best wrecks in Coron- (Gunters favourite) the stern has 3 floors and commands a dive of its own. A tour through her extensive interior reveals scenes from her past. Workshops, tool stores accommodation areas, bathrooms, shower blocks and general store rooms can all be seen. In the kitchen huge vat for p reparing food, and stairwells, void of their wooden risers beckon above and below. Light streams in through portholes giving an atmosp heric scene. During my recent tour through the wreck with Gunter we came across an anti- aircraft gun, which may have been a spare.
A good gentle finning technique is required to avoid silting up the scene. There are endless swim throughs and corridors linking store rooms. The upright attitude of the wreck helps with orientation.
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With most of the wooden decking gone, the framework of the wreck allows for swim throughs, light penetration and the colonisation by sp onge sea quirts and corals, a happy hunting ground for the photographer.
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There are many corridors with accommodation blocks, storage, showers and latrines running off each Her engine room is huge, and takes several dives to fully explore- A good light is essential. .Much of the control equipment is intact. Inside the poop deck shelter is a control wheel, used to control the lifting mechanism for the shells of the rear gun. One deck below, is the steering quadrant with its own wheel on huge worm drive.
The size of this wreck demands several dives and decompression dives. Her mast offers a great route back to the surface, a vertical reef. Several sp ecies of nudibranchs have been recorded. Banded shrimp, crabs and a myriad of fish all accompany the ascending diver. The top of the mast is adorned with a huge vase sp onge
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OLYMPIA MARU (formally the East Tangat wreck)
Type: Army Auxiliary Supply Ship (AG), Jap. "Yuso-sen" Length 128.01 m,Breadth 16.76 m,Draft 7.80 m,Gross tonnage 5,612 gt. Prop ulsion 1 x 2,705 shp direct Diesel engine; 1 shaft/1 screw/1 rudder Armament 2 x 1 - 1.0" (2.5 cm) AA guns in special stands on forecastle + p oop deck Built at M itsubishi Heavy Industrial Co., Kobe, 1920 launched for M itsubishi Kisen Kaisha Converted 1930 from steam to Diesel engine
The Olympia M aru was 122 metres long and almost 17 metres wide, disp lacing 5612 tons. The ship was originally powered by a steam engine but during 2 June to 2 August 1930, an oil two stroke six cylinder engine producing 582hp was installed. The ship was built for M itsubishi Shoji Kaisha Ltd and was owned by them right up till it sank. It was requisitioned by the Japanese Defence Forces during the War but was still owned by M itsubishi Shoji Kaisha Ltd. HISTORY 20 January 1927: Nagasaki. Laid down at M itsubishi Zosen Kaisha as Yard No. 428, a 5,612-ton cargo ship for M itsubishi Shoji Kaisha, Toky o. 2 June 1930: Begins conversion from steam to M itsubishi Sulzer two stroke six cylinder diesel engine 21 July 1941: Requisitioned by the Imperial Army (IJA) and allotted IJA No. 756. 3 September 1941: Receives official order and begins conversion to an Army auxiliary aeronautical repair ship at M itsubishi, Shimonosekifor the . IJA’s 18th Shipping Air Depot 25 October 1941: Arrives at Osaka and departs. Arrives. 7 July 1942: Enters dock at Kobe. A bandstand for a 100mm gun is fitted on the bow.
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19 August 1942: OLYM PIA M ARU departs Ujina in convoy No. 152 bound for M ako also consisting of TATSUHO M ARU and three unidentified merchant ships without escort. 14 July 1943: OLYM PIA M ARU departs Palau in convoy FU-406 also consisting of IJA transports RYUYO, TAGA, UM EKAWA, YAM AGATA and YAM AFUKU MARUs escorted by Patrol Boat PB-31. 4 July 1944: OLYM PIA M ARU departs Singapore for Miri, Borneo in convoy SHIM I-05 also consisting of ASAKA, HAKUSHIKA (HAKUROKU), HOFUKU, KUROGANE, M EXICO RASHIN, SAN DIEGO and TATSUBATO M ARUs and KYOEI M ARU No. 6 escorted by torpedo boat SAGI and minesweepers W-17 and W-18. 10 July 1944: , OLYM PIA M ARU departs M iri Borne for M oji in convoy M I-08 also consisting of ASAKA, HAKUSHIKA (HAKUROKU), KUROGANE, M EXICO, RASHIN, SAN DIEGO and TATSUBATO M ARUs and tankers CHIHAYA, NITTETSU, OEI, RYUSHO, SANKO (YAM AKO), SAN LUIS and TAKETSU (BUTSU) M ARUs and KYOEI MARU No. 6 escorted by torpedo boat SAGI and minesweepers W-17 and W-18. 15 August 1944: , OLYM PIA M ARU departs M anila in convoy H-33 (part 1) also consisting of CHINEZI, HAVRE, HACHIJIN, KUNIYAM A, M EXICO, MISAKI, TOYO and IWASHIRO M ARUs escorted by minesweeper W-28 and subchaser CH-46. 21 September 1944: About 200 aircraft of Vice Admiral (later Admiral) M arc A. M itscher's (USNA ’10) Task Force 38 strike M anila throughout the day. Planes from TG 38.1, TG 38.2 and TG 38.3 sink destroyer SATSUKI taking down 52 of her crew. OLYM PIA M ARU survives all attacks without sustaining damage. the order. 22 September 1944: , OLYM PIA M ARU departs M anila for Coron Bay,Busuanga Island Calamian Islands in the Taihi (refugee) convoy carrying reconnaissance floatplanes on her decks. 23 September 1944: By 1400, all the ships in the convoy arrive at Coron Bay, Busuanga Island, Palawan. 24 September 1944: , 96 Grumman F6F “Hellcat” fighters and 24 Curtiss SB2C “Helldiver” dive-bombers of Vice Admiral M itscher’s (USNA ’10) Task Group 38.3’s Air Group 18 from USS INTREPID (CV-11), AG-31 from USS CABOT (CVL-28) and AG-19 based on M itscher's flagship USS LEXINGTON (CV-16) take off to attack the anchorage at Coron Bay, 340 miles away. At 0855, Air Group 31’s fighter-bombers start their attack The OLYM PIA M ARU sinks stern first. Two passengers, three gunners and 14 crewmen are KIA. THE WRECK TODAY
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The wreck sits upright in 30 mtrs and the morring line is attched to the gunwales amidships.The entire perimeter of the wreck is covered in golden bushes of coral and a huge variety of life, from the obligaroty lionfish, to strange looking sea squirts, sp onges sea cucumbers nudibranchs and crinoids.No matter wheer you look it is a festival of nature and colour and reef fishes are everywhere.One of the unique features of the wreck is her forward gun mount.It is located on top of the fo’c’sle at the very ,right on top of the bow.Hugely photogenic from all angles it is also a haven of marine life and the colours and structure provide opportunites for the underwater snapper.
It is possible to swim the entire legth of the wreck at this level(18-24 mtrs) by using a good nitrox mix to extend bottom time, and the swim will reveal many deck fitings covered in life and several masts, life boatdavits, cranes and upright deck sup ports, all of which have been colonised
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Passing through the superstucture there are several floors to explore and indicative of all WW2 wrecks the wood has long since dissapeared leaving a sketetal frame work and this allows light to penetrate what would otherwise be dark and forboding aspects of the wreck. A good torch though is essential for deeper penitration into he engine room and accomdation areas.
M asts flank the four cargo holds both fore and aft, towering majestically sky ward, adding great subject matter to the negative sp ace in a photo. Several booms still remaining giving additional form and structure to the wreck, and again festooned in life. It is impossible to swim more than a couple of meters without encountering something of interest or a photo opportunity.
The contrasting colours of the cotal bushes against the blue bckground create a stricking underwater image.Add inquisitive slow moving batfish or a diver to the scene for great effect.
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The stern castle or poop deck has an open door allowing access into the rear store area, and again there is an emergency steering assembly attached directly to the rudder below.
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IJN TIRUKAZE(EAST TANGAT WRECK)
This is the remains of a small boat about 40 mtrs long, lying on a sandy slope on the south west of Tangat Island. The wreck has been described as a gun boat elsewhere, although there are no signs of any gun mounts. It has also been suggested that it may have been a sub chaser, and in the forward hold is a hydro phone which would verify this claim. There are no signs of depth charge racks. What is unusual is the semi circular saloon at the stern- and the main saloon at the front of the superstructure suggesting that she was a pleasure craft at some point. There does not seem to be any damage to the hull-so as to how she sank is a mystery-there is not even any evidence of cannon fire. However there is a report that a group of Dutch divers identified the wreck as the TIRUKAZE-quoted elsewhere as the Tirukaze Maru-but that would suggest a cargo ship. The nature of the evidence to sup port the identification
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The bow sits in only 5 mtrs of the surface, with the stern lying in 20 mtrs- offering the perfect profile for a third dive. The dive is best carried out descending down the wreck to the stern. Here the after saloon is evident, a small sky light is located directly behind the saloon, The engine room is empty save for a few valves and pipes, and it is possible to enter and swim up through the entire interior of the wreck, emerging at the forward deck.
What the wreck lacks in size it gains in historical interest, atmosp here, strong sunlight and kind depths.This is an ideal subject for a light gathering wide angle or fisheye lens.
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While the wreck does not boast the lush coral and fish life found on the other wrecks, it is non the less very worthwhile diving, apart from the great photo opportunities, the intrugue of working out the kind of vessel it was and how it actally sank adds to the excitement of the dive. Sheltered and bathed in strong sunlight it is an ideal third dive or introductory wreck dive.
Was she a sub chaser? Below are two known types used by the Japanese Sub chasers class 13; length 167 ft beam 22 ft draught 9ft Disp lacement 438 tons. armament; 1 × 76.2 mm (3.00 in) L/40 AA gun, 2 × Type 93 13 mm AA guns 36 × Type 95 depth charges, 2 × Type 94 depth charge projectors 1 × depth charge thrower
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LUSON GUN BOAT
This is the skeletal remains of a gunboat lying in shallow water surrounded by shallow reefs. From breaking the surface , the wreck lies in less than 10mtrs ,upright with a slant over to port. Ideal as a third dive or for underwater photography. Wrecks like this can often be dismissed, and get only a cursory swim over, but to the observant, hours can be spent discovering its tiny colonies of life and intricate eco sy stem.
The hull is intact with all the wooden decks long gone. This allows for very easy access into the hull and sup erstructure, with some great swim throughs. With the exception the hulls interior, the entire wreck is a living reef and indeed the surrounding reef sup ports many shoal of fish which often find their way into the wreck .Invertebrates such boxer shrimp, nudibranchs, flatworms ,crinoids and sea squirts
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NANSIN MARU NO 27 (BLACK ISLAND WRECK) The Japanese practise of giving many vessels the same name initially dispelled the name from my research as the registered vessel was over 300ft long-too big for this wreck .However The Japanese Navy had over 40 of these “gofers” small coastal liquid carrying tankers. Unarmed slow and vulnerable they were easy targets for marauding aircraft and submarines. One report states that a convoy of these vessels was attached by USS GUITTARRO on 27th August1944. One vessel Nansin no 27 entered the shelter of Malohon Island to undergo repairs. She later sank mid September, presumably from the damage inflicted by the gunfire THE WRECK TODAY The wreck lies close to shore on a sandy slope in sheltered waters. A p ermanent mooring line, adorned with featherstars is attached to the shallowest part of the wreck-the stern rail. From her it is possible to view the entire wreck down to the bow. Swimming down either the portside or starboard side revels a marine wall-reef fishes including cornet fish and batfish abide here.
Reaching the bow in 30 mtrs the view back up the wreck is superb-the visibility allowing a full vista of the wreck. A slow swim back towards the stern is in order, thus allowing the computers to do their job. The bow section has a raised fo’c’sle , and an open door way allows for access into the interior. Light streams through a hatchway from above, but a good torch is always useful.
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The holds then come into view and although empty the do offer a good swim through and great photo opportunities. . Shoals of fish hover over the hatch opening. The upright tubes from the masts and ventilators are covered in coral bushes, and the gunwales have good selection of invertebrates, including many colourful nudibranchs
Aft of the holds is the sup erstructure-which is quite open and allows for p enetration and swim through’s with ease .The upright sup ports lack bulkheads allowing excellent light to cascade in The sides of the superstructure appear to have large openings-suggesting windows, quite unusual for this type of vessel, but again aid in access into the interior..
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The entire wreck is a haven of marine life, the batfish and pipefish are quite friendly, unperturbed by the divers presence. Moorish idols, scorpion fish, box and cow fishes are also residents. To extent the dive the nearby reef running into the shallows can be explored with a multitude of invertebrates to be found, including many nudibranchs flatworms sea cucumbers and crinoids.
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Error in the naming of this wreck; “The Japanese had many ships named Nanshin M aru. One Nanshin M aru was a Japanese freighter sunk in the Malacca Straits by a US submarine. There was also a tanker, the Nansai Maru ex. British oiler Ploiden, sunk at Black Island during WWII. This ship was captured in Hong Kong and renamed by the Japanese. The location of the Nansai M aru is not definitely known. It may be on the opposite side of Black Island in 60 meters of water.�
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LCT6 LANDING CRAFT,
The LCT 6 Series of landing craft were considerably bigger than the standard LC3 Higgins craft, being 119ft long and 32 ft in the beam. M ost were built in 1943 at Bison Shipbuilding Corp. Buffalo NY. They were used extensively throughout the Philippines campaign, and were distinctive in that the wheel house and gun mount were located on the port side. This has been a great help in identifying this wreck, although there is no history to suggest how or why it ended up in this location The wreckage lies on a steep slope on the island of XXXXXX starting in only a few meters down to 18 at its stern and keel. The bow ramp is down and overgrown with coral. Both forward hull sections rise up from the seabed as the rest of the hull slopes down to a square barge like stern, underneath which is evidence of the 3 driving props from her triple diesel engines. The starboard hull still boast her circular gun mount, aft of which is the wheel house which has now fallen over to stern. The engine room bulkead still connects to both port and starboard sides and all faces are covered in coral growth. Where the hull has become porous, and the plates fallen away it is possible to insp ect the innards and workings of the vessel. There is a long corridor on the starboard side below the gun mount which makes a nice swim through, while opposite on the port side a large hole has become the home of a family of batfish, who share the space with glass fish and lionfish. The wrecks interior bears the structural detail of this basic craft and catwalk bridge connecting port and starboard lies within the hull sp ace, which would have been large enough for 4/5 tanks(Sherman) and a company of soldiers. While not as substantial as the Maru’s this wreck offers a great 3rd dive in relaxing waters and shallow depths.
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KYOKUZAN MARU
Ky okuzan M aru: Type: Army Auxiliary Supply Ship (AG), Jap. "Yuso-sen" Length 135.90 m; Breadth 17.8 mDraft7.80 m gross tonnage 6,492 gt. engines 1 x 3,882 shp geared turbine; 1 shaft/1 screw/1 rudder Armament= 3 x 1 - 1.0" (2.5 cm) AA guns mounted fore and aft Location: Northeast of Busuanga Island.�Dim Alanta Island�. The journey by jeepnee from Coron town and the walk to our dive boat through the mangroves was quite memorable! Here we experienced some of the best visibility of the first tour. Impressive gun mounts to both fore and aft, great marine life including one very big bold and fearsome looking barracuda no doubt who owns this wreck .Penetration into the ships interior was very rewarding with a great engine room. Japanese staff cars and trucks can be found in the cargo holds .Desp ite the wreck being covered in clams, the photographic vistas are quite amazing. M ax depth: 40 meters on the bottom. The deck level lies between 22 and 28 mtrs.
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Many of the wrecks we dived were very well established as coral reefs in their own right, and it was often difficult to decide which lense to use .Wide angle lenses produced some stunning vista-s of the wrecks often belying the visibility. However, many of the species inhabiting the wrecks were” wish list” critters. We encountered ornate ghost pipefish, inverted pipe fish, mantis shrimps, catfish balls, large cuttlefish and many varied reef fishes. The hard coral formations, sponges and sea squirts added to the list, and although we rarely saw any large morays the ribbon eels and smaller species more than made up for it. Our first trip was pre digital days, so it wasn’t difficult to use up all 36 shots in one dive. Nudibranchs too were a macro delight According to my log of 2000 #3286, this was a huge vessel sitting upright with its bow pointing sky ward, but on my return visit in2002 I make no mention of the wreck, but the name OKINAWA appears # 4008/9. Whatever her identity my logs report them as a sup erb dive intact wreck covered in soft corals and abounding with fish Both entries though comment on the evidence of substantial salvage-e . depth: deck sits at between 28 to 32 mtrs, bridge lies between 18 and 15 mtrs .
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THE REEFS While these series of E books are predominantly designed to cover the best of thee worlds shipwrecks, there are times when it would be a crime not to mention the reef sy stems and indeed the marine life. The marine life of these reefs, like that on the wrecks is unique, vibrant colourful and always full of surp rises. For the macro photographer or bug hunter there are endless varies of nudibranchs, shrimps, sea squirts, flatworms, crinoids and anemoes.as well as a full list of all the usual fishes, snappers, groupers, damsels, puffers and cornet fish, there are appearances from Ornate Ghost pipe fish, frogfish and sea horses.
SANTA M ONICA REEF
This reef which surround the Island of Santa M onica has suffered over the years but seems to be reviving itself. From3 to 14 mtrs it is an ideal training/intro dive, with many fish to encounter as well as the usual corals and sponges.
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LUSON REEF
This sp ectacular reef run for over 3 kilometres from the Lusong wreck and the sloping wall down to 20 mtrs is a riot of colour-a cacophony of shapes and forms that thrill at every new coral head. Even the sand below offers surp rises with nurse sharks cuttle fish even the odd turtle. The reef face slopes gently down to 25 mtrs in places were it meets a sandy plaleau. The sand too often revels some un expected visitors such as nurse sharks and rays.
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KALUM BYAN REEF Lies west of the Okikawa wreck, and again is a very vibrant reef with all the expected life-and then some. Depths from 3 to 18 mtrs. Given the right tide it is possible to make a great drift dive, and gain when conditions favour, a spectacular night dive. There are many invertebrates which are inactive during the day, hiding deep within the coral structure, and along witht eh corol polyps themselves come out at night to feed.
BUGOR REEF, CULLION ISAND On the north shore of the island the reef gently slopes down to 35 mtrs, and again is full of life. Great hard coral formations, coral bushes and whip corals, sea squirts feather stars and sp onges adorn the reef in a blaze of colour. Shrimp, coral crabs octop us, cuttlefish and tube worms have also been seen. Turtles are also regular visitors. A good dive to experience the change in marine life as the depth changes.
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BARACU DA LAKE
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Close to Coron Town, this is a lake inside a volcano rim, although sited as a fresh water lake, its only the top few meters which are fresh-the rest is salt water, indeed the lake is directly connected to the see. Here you can experience both halocline and thermocline in one dive. After a climb up and over the rim (there are now wooden stairs and a landing) entry via the jetty is into cool 28 degrees C freshwater, but descending down the water increases in temperature to 40 degrees C. The geological features are quite sp ectacular and unique-even the dead trees take on a surreal appearance. The walls are alive with snails and many cleaner shrimp-and they will clean-put your hand out and find out! There is also a cave which runs 30mtrs into the rock face-it is lined out silty and requires the correct training and equipment before executing . The marine life is also very unusual-hundreds of catfish and cardinals have adapted to the higher temperatures, A very different and unusual dive. The barracuda? never seen it!
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NUDIBRANCHS
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THE FIS HES (well some of them)
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Puerto Del Sol Maritime Resort Community The gateway to D Pearl Bay Busaunga, home of Puerto Del Sol Resort, Al Faro Resort, Busuanga Bay Lodge,D’Divers and Yacht Club
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DEEP LENS.COM (THE RED SEA WRECK ACADEMY) UNDERWATER PHOTOGRAPHY & WORLDWIDE SAFARIS
AQUATIC IMAGERY SINCE 1985 07518161970
Email: deeplens@AOL.COM; WWW.deeplens.com
For over 20 years we have been successfully organizing and leading photographic and shipwreck safaris around the world, using the very best livaboards and dive centres. Our destinations include:
Palau Truk Lagoon Maldives Egypt D’Pearl Bay
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OTHER FREE EBOOKS TO DOWN LOAD THE TILE WRECK ; HER TRUE STORY EGYPTIAN SHIPWRECKS –A PREVIEW SUEZ SHIPWRECKS THE RUSSIAN SPY SHIP THISTLEGORM REVEALED SHIPWRECKS OF THE MALDIVES SHIPWRECKS OF TRUK LAGOON SHIPWRECKS OF MALTA & GOZO PACIFIC SHIPWRECKS SCAPA WRECKS THEY NEVER CAME BACK SAFAGA SHIPWRECKS SHIPWRECKS OF TIRAN THE ROSALIE MOLLER EGYPTS TOP 20 WRECKS SHIPWRECKS OF SOUTHERN EGYPT
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The E book concept The idea of the E BOOK series came about after seeing so many incorrect publications quoting the wrong identity of the Tile Wreck at Abu Nuha s in the Red Sea. Despite a plethora of undeniable facts presented by myself and members of the Red Sea Wreck Academy, self proclaiming experts still, for reasons known only to themselves, continued to quote the MARCUS as the CHRISOULA K. It was archive photographs from Howard Rosenstien and the location of the ships bell, which added weight to Stepha n Jablonski’s accounts of the sinkings’. This new material gave us enough to produce the first E book in 2008. Being free from restrictions it soon found its way around the world and was passed on from diver to diver. It had the desired effect-Now more and more reports carry the correct identity. It was also an opportunity to give something back to diving –and promote the forthcoming “EGYPTIAN SHIPWRECKS.”The release of these books also marks 25 years in publication Of cours e there was also controversy over the identity and purpose of the RUSSIAN WRECK at Zabagad, and this lead to the second title. THISTLEGORM REVEALED is a leader for the new publication “SUNDERLAND TO SUEZ THE STORY OF THE THISTLEGORM”, out now. “SUEZ WRECKS” highlights the achievements of our regular wreck hunting trips up into the Gulf, and “EGYPTIAN SHIPWRECKS” gives a glimpse of the forthcoming book featuring over 200 wrecks in Egyptian waters. Tourist authorities have noticed the importance of their assets-wrecks are living underwater mus eums , and commissions have flooded in from Leros, Egypt, Truk, Pala u and Busuanga, to name but a few “promoting tourism through shipwrecks” has become our mission statement, We intend to update the guides annually-all free in rea dable format (72dpi) and in hi res , printable versions from the deeplens website for a small fee. So now we have a total of 20 titles available, (and several more on the way), yours to enjoy and pass on-to anyone who may be interested- with my compliments and don’t forget we run regular expeditions and safaris to all these featured Wrecks…The project has only just begun….
PETER COLLINGS SSI PRO 5000
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PETER COLLINGS BIBLIOGRAPHY-PUBLICATIONS 19862015
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COMING SOON
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PETER COLLINGS. Peter began diving in 1970.In 1983 he wrote the first of 27 diving related bo oks, and has won several internatio nal awards for his public atio ns
and
underwater
pho tography.
His
artic les
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pho tographs have appeared c onsistently tho ught the internatio nal diving press, Including DIVE SPORT DIVER , SCOTTISH DIVER and H20. A BSAC Advanc ed instruc tor, ( Red Sea Wreck Academy) SSI PRO 5000 DIVER and TDI Advance Trimix diver, Peter has lead over 500 wreck and pho to safaris around the world, logging over 6000 dives, and along with his regular team of experts has located and identified many of the shipwrec ks in Egyptian waters.
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