Page 168 - Micronesia

KIYOSUMI MARU 450’ (137m), 8,614-ton Passenger-Cargo Ship (36m) near Tonoas Island. Divers reach the superstructure at 40’
rests on its port site due north of Fefan at just over 100’ (30m). (12m). She gained fame in the 1970’s when Jacques Cousteau
The starboard side rises to 45’(14m), and the surroundings can showed her off on TV, with her name in Japanese and English still
be dived beyond 100’ (30m). This ship is an ex-armed (i.e., its readable on the bow. Heian carried supplies for Japanese subs.
armament was removed) Merchant Cruiser. One of Chuuk’s com- Periscopes line the upper companionway, and 14 Long Lance
mon dives, her foreship has been blown up by a torpedo, and the torpedoes are found in the fwd hold. Aft holds also carry sub
bridge and s’structure has been bombed and is partially caved- supplies and timbers. The whole ship is a coral garden with lots
in. The huge torpedo hole has nice marine growth including of fish and zig-zag oysters, and a shark may pass by. This ship is
black corals. The engine room is wide-open, with catwalks and Chuuk’s largest wreck.
massive engine cylinders, but is not easily accessible. Divers find
corroded and encrusted artifacts including a/a guns, aft torpedo KATSURAGISAN MARU 285’ (87m), 2,427-ton Cargo Ship rests
launchers, range finders, and bicycles. upright on sand at 235’ (70m), having accidentally been blasted
by a Japanese mine as she headed out of the lagoon in January,
KENSHO MARU 381’ (116m), 4,862-ton Passenger-Cargo Ship 1944. Discovered by Klass Lindermann in 1994, she is deep, cor-
sits upright with a list to port at 120’ (36m) depth. This popular roded, and collapsing, so diving is rarely attempted.
wreck is a common dive in the lagoon, located in a sheltered spot
in the middle of the Repair Anchorages area. Her deck is at 80’ PATROL BOAT 34 300’ (91m) (approx.), 1,162-ton No. 31 Type
(24m) and her s’structure is at 60’ (18m). She was under repair Patrol Boat, Ex-Kuri Type Momi Class Destroyer sits right offshore
at the time of the attack, but still holds many artifacts, including in water ranging just 20’ to 40’ (6 to 12m). American bombs
bottles, plates, medical tables, binoculars, a sextant, and a set of dropped from high altitude destroyed this boat, but the guns
deer antlers. The cabins, galley and helm are all superb, as is the were subsequently brought ashore, since she sank sticking out of
aft repair station, but the main attraction is the easily accessible the water. Snorkelers explore this rusting hulk, while scuba di-
engine room. vers check out the propellers, rudder, troop quarters and engine
room at the stern.
HEIAN MARU 510’ (155m), 11,614-ton Submarine Tender and
former Luxury Liner-Cargo ship lies on her port side at 120’