Page 141 - Micronesia

Chuuk Lagoon: Short Background and Facts

The area consists of eleven major islands (cor- than 800 square miles. Visibility in the water of the
responding to the eleven municipalities of lagoon is 50 feet or more. Abundant rainfall and

Truk lagoon, which are Tol, Udot, Fala-Beguets, sunshine, and a year-round average temperature of

Romanum, and Eot of Faichuk group, and Moen, 81 degrees, leave the islands green and lush. Truk is

Fefan, Dublon, Uman, Param, and Tsis of Namo- a Pacific paradise.

neas group) and forty-six smaller ones within the Chuuk is one of the world’s most famous diving
lagoon, plus forty-one on the fringing coral reef, destinations. Better known as “Truk Lagoon”
and is known today as the Chuuk islands, part of

the Federated States of Micronesia in the Pacific to divers, it offers the best wreck diving in one

Ocean. Chuuk’s isolated lagoon is a perfect harbor. location anywhere in the world. More than 70

Its fringing reef is over 140 miles around and has Japanese ships, planes and submarines rest on the

five navigable passages. The 822 square mile inte- bottom, virtually undisturbed for the past 60 years.

rior is large enough to hold all of the other islands The legacy of Operation Hailstorm, the decisive

of Micronesia and still have room for more. Truk World War II battle between the Japanese Impe-

Atoll lies seven degrees north of the equator in the rial Fleet and Allied carrier attack planes, they are

south-western Pacific, some 1,000 miles northeast now an underwater museum and marine sanctuary

of New Guinea and 3,300 miles southwest of Ha- without equal. Chuuk’s giant lagoon is almost 40

waii. Dozens of islands and a great barrier reef make miles in diameter and reaches depths of 300 feet.

up the atoll, although only seven of the islands are Its warm tropical waters, prolific marine life and

of any size or have any significant population. The ocean currents have transformed the wrecks into

larger islands are marked by volcanic peaks, the breathtakingly beautiful coral gardens and artificial

tallest nearly 1,500 feet above sea level. The barrier reefs, home to hundreds of exotic marine animals

reef, roughly triangular in shape and 140 miles and fish.

around, forms a vast deep-water lagoon of more