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Dive #21 San Francisco Maru, 170ft, 38min dive
The San Francisco Maru is an iconic dive, in Truk Lagoon, and for that matter, in the world. The wreck is legendary for its tanks that sit on the decks, the amazing bow gun that has much less growth on it than all the others because of its depth, and the amazing water trucks, still intact that sit inside the holds. Oh yes, and the cargo hold filled with bombs. All of it, starts at 160ft. This is a deep dive by recreational standards but is a testament to how good planning and preparation can make many things safe.
This is a dive that is different. During the week of diving, you prepare and do debriefs on every dive. Every aspect of every dive is taken seriously but this dive, the mood changes. Going this deep requires a solid plan that can’t be deviated from. To divert from the plan may make your dive buddies think that you are suffering from nitrogen narcosis, which essentially means that you’ve become high from nitrogen and this type of narcosis can cause a lot of opportunity for trouble at depths, especially inside wrecks. You go over the route for the dive again and again with the group.
When I did this dive in 2013, I hit a new personal record of 157ft. I felt on top of the world. It was, and still is, to date one of my best dives. I’ll never forget how good that felt, how accomplished I felt to get that deep, safely.
Diving for me has never been about records but … I’ll admit. I wanted to break that one. When I did the dive in ’13, I had gone for a safe dive plan because I wasn’t sure how my body would react at those depths. When I got to 157ft and felt amazing, I could only look into the holds at the bombs and water trucks longingly because it wasn’t in the plan and we had to stick to it. I wasn’t going to waste my opportunity this time.
Again, at 157′ (which is about the depth of the deck), I felt amazing. My thoughts were clear, my breathing was good, and it was time to enter the holds. Dropping into the hold with the bombs, the sheer volume of them was overwhelming. It was while floating in the hold, I started to realize the narcosis had set in. When you know yoursel and what your brain does under narcosis, you can control it when it’s in the early stages. You start to focus on the task at hand and try to keep your brain sharp. By the time we swam through to the other cargo hold and began to swim by the water trucks, I was hearing superhero music in my head. Although I certainly did feel like a superhero in that moment, it was my sign for it’s time to get out of there. It was fun but now was time to go. The slow assent went well, decompression time were right on the money and we got back on the boat feeling on top of the world. I didn’t even realize until we were hanging out decompressing that I had hit 170ft.
There is nothing like diving the San Francisco Maru and I had just done it twice.
Stubs.
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Dive #14 Hoki Maru, 110ft, 49min dive
Bulldozers, tractors, trucks and fencing are all highlights of this dive. The hold that all of this equipment in gets silted up pretty quick so the picture weren’t great but the experience (again) sure was! Saw a shark at the end of the dive.
Dive #15, Fujikawa Maru, 110ft, 55min dive
We entered this wreck through the torpedo hole which eventually took the ship down. Saw a bank of compressed gas bottles still all lined up. Lots of beer bottles and a good telegraph remaining on this wreck. Good bow gun
Dive #16 Fujikawa Maru, 89ft, 45min dive
Lots of old oil drums, collapsed zero planes, spare parts and props for the planes that were being transported for the war efforts. Empty shells, machine guns and gas masks. Lots of shoes and old uniforms on this wreck. Lots of sharks seen around this wreck (up to 12) and circling us when we were decompressing on the hang bar!
Dive #17, Nippo Maru, 120ft, 51min dive
Saw a tank and a truck on the deck. Gas masks and shells here too. Swam through the superstructure. Artillery guns and china on the wreck. Lifeboats davits and a telegraph in the wheelhouse.
Dive #18, Nippo Maru, 128ft, 49min
Lots of time on the deck to look around as well as the top of the superstructure near the catwalk. Enjoyed the schooling fish on this wreck.
Dive #19, Nippo Maru, 108ft, 55min dive
Lots of macro stuff to enjoy on this dive. Torpedo in the sand was cool to see.
Dive #20 (didn’t write down which wreck!), 89ft, 49min
Twilight dive. A white tipped shark circled us three times before we began or descent. It really played on your mind wondering where it went after it swam away and we were descending into the darkening sea!
Stubs.
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Dive #6 Fumitzuki (Destroyer), 91ft, 38min dive
One of the few destroyers in the lagoon. This vessel was present during the attack on Pearl Harbour. At 320′ it’s a good size. The bow is completely broken off and sitting in the sand. Lots of life boat davets to be seen on this wreck.
Dive #7 Shinkoku Maru, 90ft, 40min dive
This is a 500′, massive wreck. Highlights of this dive are an impressive bow gun, and inside the superstructure is the operating room. In this room remains operating equipment, an operating table and human remains, which have been placed on the table. The superstructure of this wreck has deteroiated a lot since my last time in Truk. Piles of steel have started to break off of the ship and lay in piles in the sand. Three great telegraphs remain on the roof of the superstructure. This dive we saw our first shark, a white tip reef shark. Telephone can be seen on this wreck also.
Dive #8 Shinkoku Maru, 121ft, 44min dive
Same wreck as last time, except this time we saw a baby spotted eagle ray. It was so cute! On many of the wrecks, items are brought up to the more shallow parts of the ships so that those who don’t wish to go inside the more dangerous parts of the ship can still see artifacts, they are commonly refered to as “displays”. On this wreck, the display contains a pretty cool first aid kit box.
Dive #9 Shinkoku Maru, 124ft, 48min dive
Amazing tour of the engine room with Ken. Massive room about five stories high. Saw human remains inside this wreck also.
Dive #10 Heian Maru, 89ft, 48min dive
Previously a luxury liner that was converted to support the war. 510′ long. Nice dive through the inside of the ship. Saw the old bathroom, periscopes and a good view of the name on the side of the vessel and an old telephone on the deck. Piles of china around the wreck.
Dive #11 Heian Maru, 91ft, 52min dive
Engine room tour with Ken again. Old light bulbs still intact, gauges to check out and a skull inside the wreck. Inside the wreck for 20 minutes of the dive.
Dive #12 Rio de Janeiro, 112ft, 55min
This ship was also previously a passenger liner. Beautiful props, stern gun and a cool hold filled with sake bottles. The hull has collapsed on this wreck
Dive #13 Rio de Janeiro, 84ft, 40min
Crazy tour of the engine room Went in the water at 530pm and it was dark by the time we were on the wreck. Multilevels to explore, gauges, clocks, about 25min inside the dark engine room When we emerged, it was night and really dark. Super cool dive overall.
Stubs.
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Seeing as I delayed writing this blog for so long, I am going to put together a few dives per blog and upload the pics more generally.
Dive #1 Kiyosumi Maru, max depth 75ft.
I have to admit, this was by far the worst dive of my life. A number of factors came together to require me to breathe off of a buddy regulator for the first time ever. A mix of nerves, complacency and being not set up to my liking with my gear resulted in me blowing through my air faster than I ever have in my life. Not much stands out for me besides my life flashing before my eyes, the bow gun and seeing my first human remains of the trip, a skull.
Dive #2 Kiysoumi Maru, max depth 67ft, 39min dive. 450′ Merchant Raider
This was a much better dive. I adjusted my gear, took a deep breath and took the plunge again. No better way to bounce back then to get right back on the bike. I didn’t bring my camera behind, as I had a new set up that I was trying out that contributed to my blunder on the previous dive. Took my time to enjoy the corals and fish.
Dive #3, Yamagiri Maru, max depth 89ft, 39min dive
This dive we saw 14″ bomb shells. This dive we swam through the torpedo hole which ultimately took down the ship. This ship was in repair at the time of the attack. It was cool to see how the ship was being repaired.
Dive #4, Yamagiri Maru, max depth 90ft, 42min dive
First engine room tour of the trip. There is really no way to describe one of these tours. Multi level, dives filled with huge boilers, piping, pumps, valves, catwalks gauges and so much more. In these parts of the ships, there is generally little to no natural light and the hazards are plentiful.
This wreck has an extremely unique sight on the inside of the wreck. As the ship was in repair when the attack happened, the ships engineer was inside the engine room trying to get the boat going to escape the lagoon. Unfortunately for him, his efforts were in vain, and his finger bones are fused to an I beam. Just adjacent to that, embedded in the ceiling, is his skull. I did see this sight on my first trip to Truk and I have to say, it was just as hit me just as hard this time.
Dive #5, Night dive on Yamagiri, max depth 71ft, 41min dive
Saw some cool crabs that only feed at night. They’re funny. Machine that are just constantly shoveling crap off the ocean floor into their mouths. Lots of sponges and cucumbers to be found, lots of things that were blooming and active that you don’t get to see during the day.
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In my attempt to catch up, here are some of my favorite videos from Truk Lagoon.
Here to start the train are some of my favourite diving videos from Truk Lagoon, Micronesia.
Enjoy
Stubs
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Please note: This blog is based on my trip in October 2015.
There is no where in the world like Weno, more commonly known as Truk Lagoon.
Staying at the Blue Lagoon Hotel, you are somewhat sheltered from the culture of the people on the island, so we were sure to take another tour of the surrounding islands. This gives a person an idea of what the entire area was like when it was consumed by the Japanese. Most of the things are falling back into the earth and without a good tour guide, you could pass right by some of these war relics and not even know what they were at one time.
Seeing the old fuel loading station, fuel storage tanks, old hospital, airport and a variety of other things is just beyond words. The descriptions will be with the pictures.
The people of Truk never cease to amaze me. Their smiles, and willingness to share their culture is just beautiful. The kids there have always stolen the show for me as their energy and the simplicity of their lives is inspiring.
Enjoy.
Stubs
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