This is page 2 of the extended Truk Lagoon gallery. Click here to go back to page 1 of the gallery.
Kensho Maru
The Kensho Maru was both the first and the last dive we did in Truk. Although "just another wreck" in Truk Lagoon, the Kensho Maru would be the star attraction of just about any other diving location. She was leaking badly when the US forces attacked, and actually sank because the crew had to abandon her and could not maintain the pumps rather than due to any bomb or torpedo. Accordingly, she is virtually completely intact.
Heian Maru
The Heian Maru is the largest wreck in the Lagoon (and that is up against some stiff competition...). It is located in a part of the Lagoon that does not get as much coral growth, and so is more covered by weeds than coral. Originally a sub-tender, the most notable features are the torpedos in the holds and the periscopes stored in the gangways. Note the difference between the narrow "attack" periscopes (which leave a much smaller and less detectable wake trail) and the regularly sized viewing periscopes.
Shinkoku Maru
The Shinkoku Maru is reckoned to be the second best wreck in the lagoon, behind the Fujikawa Maru, but is much larger. It also contains a wide array of artifacts, including a surgeon's table, but most of the really interesting stuff requires penetrating the wreck to see.
Rio De Janeiro Maru
Dad's favourite wreck in the Lagoon, the Rio has the unusual distinction of being the only wreck in the Lagoon sunk on its port side. Go figure. Another extremely large wreck, most of the cargo holds are filled with beer bottles. That may shed some light on why the Japanese defense was so ineffectual.
Sankisan Maru
The Sankisan Maru was blown in two by the explosion which sunk her. We dived the bow section; the stern section was over 500 feet away. The Sankisan Maru is famous for all the bullets in her holds (diminishing in number, as tourists try to take souvenirs home). Although a very nice wreck, we dived her at twilight, which is the hardest time to get good photos underwater.
Kiyosumi Maru
The Kiyosumi Maru is famous most for having an officer's bicycle in one of the cabins (go figure). It was one of the less memorable wrecks on the Lagoon for us, except for one fact - it was the only wreck on which we saw human remains. The Japanese still regard all of these wrecks as war graves, and have never been happy with the Chuukese people using them as a tourist attraction.
Yamigiri Maru
The Yamigiri Maru had a colossal torpedo hole in the hull, enabling one to swim cleanly through the middle of the wreck. The wreck also contained 14 inch shells for Japanese battleships, but try as we might, we could not get a decent photograph of them.
The Journey
Confucius said that the longest journey starts with a single step. The problem with travelling to Truk Lagoon is all the steps you need to take after that single step. Our flight time to Chuuk was 47 hours from wheel's up on the first flight to wheel's down on the last. Our flight time travelling back was a staggering 61 hours because of a missed connection.
The journey there took us through Newark, where predictably enough, a blizzard struck. Almost all outgoing flights were cancelled, but thankfully not our flight to Tokyo.
Chuuk itself is incredibly backward. It averaged about 3 power cuts a day whilst we were there. Even making calls on a landline, you could only get through about one time in four. And don't even talk about internet access. I will never complain about BVIEC or Cable & Wireless again (OK, that is a lie, but still...).
The journey there took us through Newark, where predictably enough, a blizzard struck. Almost all outgoing flights were cancelled, but thankfully not our flight to Tokyo.
Chuuk itself is incredibly backward. It averaged about 3 power cuts a day whilst we were there. Even making calls on a landline, you could only get through about one time in four. And don't even talk about internet access. I will never complain about BVIEC or Cable & Wireless again (OK, that is a lie, but still...).
The Truk Odyssey
The Truk Odyssey is without a doubt the finest liveaboard vessel in the world. Which is only fitting, given that it operates in possibly the finest diving location in the world.
If you are visiting Truk Lagoon, you would be mad to do it on anything other than the Odyssey.
If you are visiting Truk Lagoon, you would be mad to do it on anything other than the Odyssey.
Click here to go back to page 1 of the gallery.