Club shore dive. Strongish current at first but less later. Brilliant visibility of 20 m. Three sea horses seen, as well as a juvenile sea dragon, a nudi I had never seen before. Lots of bream, some PJs and horned sharks. Excellent dive. Visibility very good.

7 September 2011 - Pizza Reef
Club boat dive. A little swell from last nights very strong winds but smooth. Little wind that changed from SE to SW to W. Bluish water. Huge amount of fish, mostly seapike and yellowtail, but a large school of old wife and bastard trumpeter. Could see the boat from 24 m. While doing safety stop, a seal came in for a few  looks. Probably the same one from Middle Ground two weeks ago - got some video. Coldest ocean water since last Winter I think, 14.8C. A brilliant dive. Visibility very good.

8 September 2011 - Bare Island Deep Wall
Club night dive. Raining a little, two hours after high tide. Went in off W point and SW to Deep Wall. Went S for a few minutes and then back normal way. Slight current, but not too bad. A dwarf firefish and a few PJs in this area. The old Admiralty anchor is missing, so this is the one some idiot dive shop has moved to the 7 m area. Why?!?!?! Continued with normal dive. A lot of nudis all over the place, including veros tambja, opera house and more. Another firefish, some eels, squid, cuttlefish and octopus. A very nice dive. Visibility very good.

As Shiprock is closed for construction of steps and seas were huge, decided to dive using scooters from Dolans Bay Wharf. Very shallow at first but about 5 mins at N end of dive site. Went all the way past buoy at SW end. Strong outflowing tide, slow progress till we turned then flew back. Lots of fish, many small cuttlefish and nudis. Back at 11 m I refound the black anglerfish that Gary P found 14 August. Unfortunately my scooter decided to stop working on way back, faulty connection, so had to swim back dragging it. Visibility good.

Tried to do SS Tuggerah but wind came up and was very choppy. Decided to dive here instead. A slight current from N and wind from S. Lots of seapike and yellowtail, as well as heaps of Port Jackson sharks. Also many morwong. Mike S saw 2 seals at once and the others a wobbegong. We saw a blue devilfish and also rescued two six-spined leatherjackets, a blind shark and a morwong caught in the large fish trap on N side. When we left the site, wind had dropped and seas calmed - bugger. Visibility good.

Club dive day/BBQ out of Frenchmans Bay. Second run dived here. Dirty water on top, 6 m viz, but 20 m on bottom. Incoming tide. Forgot how colourful it is here. Went SE to sand and then W and N. Turned around and went a little shallower back S and E, then on top of reef back to anchor. A small PJ, a sea dragon, lots of mado and yellowtail shallow. Really nice dive and BBQ after. A huge southerly hit when anchored at Frenchmans, dragged anchor and had to put anchor up on shore on rocks. Visibility very good.

Club boat dive. Largish sea but smooth. Wind came up from W. A seal seen on surface but no-one saw in water. Two blue devilfish, a spiny gurnard, about 30 bastard trumpeters, lots of yellowtail and seapike. Very nice dive. Visibility good. 

Club dive, 3 boats. Largish sea again but not too bad. A slight SE wind which dropped more. Not so clean on the way down but quite good on bottom. Saw the seal again, twice it came past us. Lots of yellowtail and seapike as usual, a few PJs, one blue devilfish. Very nice relaxing dive. Visibility good.

Club boat dive. Once again a reasonable sea running but little wind. Quite nice except for the overcast day. Anchor moved just as first group went in and ended up on reef way out in front of the Tunnel/Cave. Went right up to the N end of The Split. The upsidedown pipefish are not there, first time since Kelly found them over a year ago. Lots of bastard trumpters as usual and quite a few PJs. Good dive. Visibility good.

Club deep wreck dive. Largish swell but smooth. No wind or current and anchored first go. A slight current from S on bottom. Went to engine and a huge bullray on sand there. Then showed Aengus the tools. Then to prop and back to anchor. Aengus went up and I went forward to bow and back. Really nice dive. Visibility good.

3 October - Lilli Pilli

Huge seas outside so only place to dive. 8 divers. Went along net, one small sea horse. Tiny bit of growth. A large hole in the N side. Went out over sand to normal reef and mooring blocks. Along here Digby lost his new GoPro housing. Went back to net and then went looking for the housing but despite going over the exact path, did not find. I think it floated away. Visibility fair.

5 October - Middle Ground
Club boat dive. Once again large seas, but smooth. Saw a small seal just as we descended and it came up to us again about half way down. Got it on video. A bit surgy on the bottom. Viz was poor on top and very poor where the anchor was. Went right around the reef and on the S side the viz was much better, perhaps 10 m. Back up at deco it was clearing below about 6 m. Visibility overall very poor.

7 October - SS Tuggerah
Went with Wayne. Still a bit of swell but little wind. A reasonable 0.75 kt current from N. Anchor pulled out as we went down and ended up about 25 m off wreck. Dug anchor in and it held okay. Ran a real out to stern. Only dived the prop area due to this. Really clean up in current, 25 m at least. Visibility good.

8 October - The Wanderers

Club deep reef dive. Little wind, no current and reasonable viz on top. At least 3 humpback whales circled around 270 degrees before we descended. Anchored right on S wall near where we anchored in 2004! Very colourful site with lots of sea whips, sponges and gorgonias. A lot of yellowtail in one spot. A brilliant site, worth diving more often than we do. Reached just over 43 m. Visibility very good. 

Last minute dive organised with Club members via Facebook. Nine members attended. Went off W point, a bit of a challenge! Quite clear and cold on deep wall. Saw a spiny gurnard here. Back via RIF Reef but very dirty (3 m) here. Then across the sand to 14 m Reef and much better viz. Went to sea horse near Sea Horse Corner and viz only 1 m. Then back to shore. Viz improved to 10 m or more! Kelly found a tiny PJ. Also some large flatheads and a tiny numbray. Nice dive despite the poor viz in spots. Visibility fair overall.

20 October - San Fancisco Maru - Chuuk Lagoon
Went down mooring off port bow. Went staight to steamroller which is on sand at 62 m behind bridge. Took photos and then back to tank in front of bridge. Then to water tankers in Hold 2 and then to tanks and truck on SB side. Back to Hold 1 and inside, all beach mines and shells and boxes of cordite. Then bow gun and up at 15 mins. Could clearly see boat and divers above from 30 m,  probably could have seen from 50 m if I have looked. A brilliant dive on possibly the best shipwreck in the world!! Visibility over 50 m, very excellent.
 
20 October - Shinkoku Maru - Chuuk Lagoon
Anchored on bridge. Went to stern and dropped over SB side to prop. Then along hull on port side to torpedo hole. Entered engine room via this and ascended up to large space above 3 - 3 cylinder engine. Then exited Skylight which is in front of funnel. Went back to bridge and entered port side door. Bath, then toilets and then operating table. Leg bones on the table and lots of medical things. Exited front door and ascended to main bridge r level. Went inside and then exited SB rear door and looked at artefacts on top of the bridge. Over to mast and up that. Then to deco bottle. Visibility very good.

21 October - Aikoku Maru - Chuuk Lagoon
Anchored rear port superstructure. Kelly had ear problems and did not get down. Headed to stern gun. When we got there Kelly caught up to us. Looked over stern to sand and then went under the gun platform SB side and dropped a little into Hold 6. Nothing much there so came out. From here forward to Hold 5 and then and dropped a little into Hold 4. Up to plaques and bones, including one skull. Over to SB side AA guns and then I ascended. Whole superstructure has collapsed a lot now. Kelly stayed about two mins longer as she had not been on wreck for as long. Visibility very good.

21 October - Hoyo Maru - Chuuk Lagoon
Upsidedown 143m long oil tanker. Anchored near hull break. Then to engine room, entered via torpedo hole on port side. Lots of catwalks, ladders and junk. Engine upsidedown and only part visible. Geared flywheel and shaft seen. Also electrical fuse board. Out to prop. Then along SB side to bomb damage area. Deck here is clear of bottom. Went under the ship. Popped up into an oil tank via a hatch but very dark, did not enter. Then along port side to crack. Engered oil tank here. Then a bit further forward, went under ship and swam under deck forward. Came out and went to bow. About 10 m back there is another torpedo hole. Then along keel (5 m) to crack. Into the two oil tanks in rear section. Visibility only fair but very good inside.

22 October - Shotan Maru - Chuuk Lagoon
Anchored rear port bridge. Funnel and davits intact. Went to bow along port side. Crane truck off port side Hold 1. Another on SB side H1 beams. Into H1, 1000s of bottles, lots still in crates. Also small bottles. Some rope coils, drums, lots of smallish shell casings, most in 4 packs. Then thru to Hold 2. In here a large wheeled compressor port side, a diesel engine rear SB side, 100s of bags of cement SB and rear and more. Up to bridge, looked in SB side door but has collapsed a lot. The main bridge has collapsed to the next level down. Went to stern. Hold 3 relatively intact but the area past here and Hold 4 totally collapsed. Major bomb damage port side, mast between fallen. Stern gun points rear SB quarter, large helm wheel behind. Back to bridge area, up funnel and across to anchor. Magnificient dive. Visibility very excellent. 

22 October - Kansho Maru - Chuuk Lagoon
Anchored on funnel. Entered superstructure thru SB rear door and went past galley. Then along a small passageway on port side past some cabins to an entrance to Engine Room. Into ER. Twox3 cylinder diesel engine config. Then down a rear stairs on SB side to electrical switchboard. A bit of a traffic jam as Odessey divers came in other direction. Then to spare parts room, lots of  bolts and nuts on wall as well as many other things. I went out Skylights and so did Kelly and Adam. Back around rear and along SB outside passaageway to front of bridge where we caught up with others. To bow gun past two kingposts. Back to bridge, nice telegraph and binnacle. Up funnel. Visibility fair, very poor in spare parts room.

23 October - Amagisan Maru - Chuuk Lagoon
Anchored on funnel. Entered superstructure thru SB rear door and went past galley. Then along a small passageway on port side past some cabins to an entrance to Engine Room. Into ER. Twox3 cylinder diesel engine config. Then down a rear stairs on SB side to electrical switchboard. A bit of a traffic jam as Odessey divers came in other direction. Then to spare parts room, lots of  bolts and nuts on wall as well as many other things. I went out Skylights and so did Kelly and Adam. Back around rear and along SB outside passaageway to front of bridge where we caught up with others. To bow gun past two kingposts. Back to bridge, nice telegraph and binnacle. Up funnel. Visibility fair, very poor in spare parts room.

24 October - Hoki Maru - Chuuk Lagoon
Anchored near engine. Went to stern and dropped to SB prop. Very large and attractive prop, nice photos. Up to stern, bad damage here from bomb. Two spare prop blades on deck SB side before Hold 5. Into Hold 5. Bulldozer on second tween deck hatch beams, below this more bullozers, 2 steamrollers, six trucks and more. A brilliant hold. To Hold 4, 2 spare prop blades on port rear wall, also some bottles and drums. BAck to anchor. Much damage in this area and forward. Visibility excellent.
 
24 October - Sankisan Maru - Chuuk Lagoon

Anchored on kingpost. Went to Hold 1, millions of rounds of ammunition. Then out and looked at the three trucks next to hold. To bow and then in hole on port side to forecastle. A ventilator and many other artefacts in here. Out port door. To truck next to Hold 2. Then into H2. Two radial aircraft engines, some engine cowlings, five trucks,  boxes with charcoal (?), small bottles of different colours and much more. Thru to Hold 3 which has coal, more bottles, some ponchos or other small waterproof covervings and beer bottles. Out and to where the hull stops where explosion destroyed the ship. Explored here and then back to mast and up and across to kingpost which is in 5 m and then up. Visibility excellent.

Anchored on kingpost. Went to stern and Hold 5. Photographed the two gun barrels on deck and then into hold. 8 more at bottom rear. Also gun bases and aiming mechanisms and lots of cement bags. Out to stern and missing gun. Sand almost encroaching on wreck. In front of poop deck port side there is a spare anchor. To Hold 4, more water containers, hundreds of batteries port rear, bottles forward, collapsibe bicycles SB rear, some bed heads and more. To rear of superstructure and the three minesweeping paravanes. Looked inside door and then along port passageway. A large strange teardrop shaped metal thing on sand, at least 10 m long. Then to kingpost, mast and up to top and then across to anchor line. A really brilliant dive! Visibility excellent. 

Anchored on stern. Went to prop and then around stern over poop deck to spare anchor that is stored here. Into Hold 6 but only 200 litre drums (must have been full). Out and into Hold 5. Dozens of battleship shells, some mining carts, a roller, other machinery. Lots to see here. From here out and into Hold 4 but nothing really there. Then into engine room. Quite large. Went under engine (that is behind) and here there are electric boards and some controls. Above there is a skull stuck in a square hole. Sad. Then went out and over bridge and into Hold 3. This is opened by a torpedo. Out this and back along the SB hull to anchor and up. Visibility very good.

26 October - San Francisco Maru - Chuuk Lagoon
Anchored on rear bridge. Across Hold 3 (coal) into Engine Room via forwards SB skylight. Very open, with triple expansion steam engine. Very nice. Out rear into Hold 4. Has beach mines, rifle rounds, 3 and 4 inch shells and more. Also remains of some trucks that have fallen from first hatch cover. Out and to Hold 5. Full of torpedo bodies, no warheads. Also some drums port side. Then to stern via port side. Poop deck has now collapsed in middle. No gun. Stern telegraph is now located inside port doorway to the poop. Major damage to port side as bomb fell just off ship here. Forward a little is a large truck on the sand. Came back past H4 where there is more ammunition on deck. Kelly went into the cabins (open from above) above ER and came out front. Back to bridge area and up at almost 18 minutes. The stern of the SFM is almostVisibility very excellent.
 
26 October - Gosei Maru - Chuuk Lagoon
Anchored on stern in 7 m. Went to bow along hull and entered torpedo hole into Hold 1. Out to bow. No gun. Then back to H1, coal, rifle rounds and some shells. Then to Hold 2 and Hold 3. These are joined I think. There are at least two dozen topedoes here, some exploded open. Only a couple have warheads. Then into coal bunker and attempted to get into boiler room but too narrow for twin tanks. Out and behind funnel into wreck, galley and then into engine room. Nice triple expansion steam engine. On wall above and behind engine there are two rows of tools on the wall. Out to prop. Spent a lot of time at stern. Visibility very good.
 
27 October - Nagano Maru - Chuuk Lagoon
Anchor was near Hold 2 but guide moved to top of bridge. Wreck has slight list to port. Funnel collapsed to port.  Went over bridge to Skylights and entered the only open one. Went in. Quadruple expansion steam engine. Exited out door port side into large passageway that went to deck above Hold 3. Into H3 but mostly empty except for two very large prop blades on forward wall tween decks and some unidentified objects bottom rear. Out and to Hold 4. 100s of drums, all full. These must contain oil as after the dive there were small bubbles of black oil coming up. Also some long cylindrical objects. Back along deck past 3 large work objects next to H3 to bridge and then up. Visibility excellent.
 
27 October - Hanakawa Maru - Chuuk Lagoon
50 mins from Blue Lagoon. Anchored on forward mast. Into Hold 2 and torpedo hole on bulkhead. Lots of drums of aviation fuel. Out to bridge, collapsed, into Hold 3 but coal has burnt, a few drums. Looked in boiler where damaged but could not get far inside. Funnel collapsed, into engine room via port skylight but about 5 m down got too dirty to keep going. Could not see engine at all. Out and over collapsed rear superstructure to Hold 4. More drums. Hold 5 the same. Then to stern gun, tiny, fallen telegraph, into poop deck via Sb door, out port. Lots of bottles, coils of rope. Back to  bow along port side. Into forecastle port and out SB. Small room and some rope etc. Back to mast and up. Visibility only fair.
 
28 October - Shotan Maru - Chuuk Lagoon
Anchored port side Hold 1. Large anchor strapped to SB rear of forecastle. Looked at the crane from the truck that has fallen into H1. Into H1 and looked at the trucks in more detail than last dive. Two tiny medicine jars with medice still in them. Then thru to Hold 2 via tween decks. Looked at the wheeled compressor and then the cement bags and timber stacked on SB side. Also looked in more detail at the ammunition shells. Out and tro SB bridge door but too collapsed to enter. Then to top of bridge and saw collapsed helm. Dropped down a level just after this and went across a passageway to the port side. At the rear of this cabin galley was on left. In here I found the dive cylinder and regs lost about five days ago but the other group's guide. Went back to funnel and up it to top and over to the anchor line. Visibility very excellent.
 
28 October - Kiyozumi Maru - Chuuk Lagoon
Anchored above Hold 2. Entered the torpedo hole between H1 and H2. Thru H1, mostly empty to bow. Large gun platform but no gun. Back to H1 and then H2. More gun platforms either side of both holds. Then to H3 which appears to have been a refigerated hold. Some controls up high? Then past bridge, totally collapsed and funnel, also collapsed. Entered engine room behind here. Very open above engine but hard to get behind it. Out and to H4 which is mostly still covered by hatches. Below this there are four huge hatch covers still in place, probably refigerated holds. Out and to H5. This has some largish aluminium (water?) tanks and some bicycles back right of first tween deck. From here thru the torpedo shelter, pipes and torpedo controls for twin launches either side. Into H6 which is similar and has two large prop blades on rear wall tween deck. Back along deck to anchor. Visibility only fair.

29 October - Seiko Maru - Chuuk Lagoon
Was supposed to do Oite but extremely strong winds this morning. Anchored on bridge. Into Hold 2, empty excepts some scaffolding or pipes. To Hold 1 which has a dozen torpedo bodies, one upright and one exploded. Then to bow, did not see the artillery gun. Back to bridge and Hold 3. Back port corner many bicycles, timber at front. Lots of damage Hold 4 port side. Back to bridge. Very nice, lots of toilets, baths on all levels. Two telegraphs and helm on bridge. Visibility excellent.
 
30 October - Fujisan Maru - Chuuk Lagoon
Anchored in front of bridge, SB side. Large oil tanker with list of 30 degrees to port. Went over forward tanks to bow. Large empty gun platform, telegraph, port anchor out and under wreck, SB hanging. Spare anchor SB side in cradle behind forecastle. Forecastle has some stuff inside. Back to bridge. Two minesweeping paravanes in cradles on deck pointing forward. Tank behind mast is collapsed in a bit, and there is hull and deck damage as empty tank compressed when it sank. To bridge, Kelly looked in port door and pipes and valves. Up a level and inside, basins, toilets and more. Must have been timber walls and floors. Out back, a room with skylights, maybe machinery/pumps. Then to bridge. Telegraph fallen to port, possibly helm as well. Up. Visibility excellent.  
 
30 October - Shinkoku Maru - Chuuk Lagoon
Anchored on bridge. Went along port side to bow. Into forecastle via port door, lots of rope, a couple of large reels, a spare ventilator. Another room inside, chain locker, can see both anchor chains. Out SB side. Up to bow and gun. Growth on gun is incredible. Back to main deck. Entered a hatch and dropped down a few metres. Crew cabins, remains of timber flooring, some drawers with clothes on top. Next level down dirty. Out. There is a small raised structure with skylights behind, this gives access to fuel tank valves (one at rear as well). Did not enter. On the deck is a spare anchor with flukes to  port. Back along deck to bridge, entered bottom SB door.  A room in middle with reel and pipes. Out back SB. Then up a level and in, this is the same level as oeprating table. Up next level, radio middle rear, SB rear a panel with red and green glass lights. Up another level, three telegraphs, compass binnacle, and helm. SB side wing has heaps of batteries. Visibility very good.

31 October - Momokawa Maru - Chuuk Lagoon
Tried to do IJN Oite but very windy, rough and could not find after 90 mins, even with GPS marks. Anchored on bridge. Went into engine room via SB front skylight. Saw turbine which is forward and deep in space. Too dirty to go right down. Out port door and then to left and out door at rear of superstructure. Into Hold 3, some empty shells at the bottom. Then to Hold 4. Major damage between the holds. Two prop blades rear bulhead, one port, one Sb. Out to bow. Some damage port side. There is a small artillery gun mounted on SB side, port one has fallen. To prop, very nice and colourful, seemed only 20 m deep but was really 40ish. Then to bridge, telegraph and steering helm. Excellent wreck. Visibility excellent.
 
31 October - Mitsubishi Betty Bomber - Chuuk Lagoon
Mooring on site. Went to engines which are about 50 m SW towards Eten Island. Ends of props not bent means they were not running when the plane hit the water. Then back to plane. In one piece, although SB wing tip has broken off, indicating it probably hit this first, then the nose which is badly damaged and the engines fell off. Tailplane has broken off as well and the nose has now fallen to port (it used to be in line with the fueslage). Probably ran out of fuel and did not make it to Eten Island. Visibility good.
 
31 October - Kanawishi Emily Flying Boat - Chuuk Lagoon
Anchored near nose. Huge flying boat in 4 pieces. Nose and front of fueslage, wings, main fueslage, tail section. All upsidedown. The outer engines were not running as blades straight. The inner port is bent a bit, but forwards. The inner SB is only bent a little. This indicates it was going backwards and upsidedown when the props hit the water. Looks like it hit nose first, then cartwheeled and ran backwards upsidedown and sank. Nice little dive. Visibility good.

For more details about these dives and other dives this year, click here