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DESCRIPTIONS OF POPULAR DIVE SITES Chinsen Maru - is an Imperial Japanese Navy freighter that sank in
While there are dozens of frequented dive sites in Saipan, and even 1944 after being torpedoed during WWII. The shallow wreck sits on
more that are simply discovered on a daily basis, the following de- the bottom at only 35ft and part of it breaks the surface making it
scriptions are of some of Saipan’s most popular dive sites. an easy wreck to explore and great for newer divers. Octopuses are
Banzai - Banzai is another boat dive on the North side of Saipan. commonly found on this wreck, jacks frequent the area, and white tip
There is only a small window of weather all year that allows you to sharks are usually underneath the ship.
safely dive at Banzai Cliff, but it is a worthwhile experience of you Eagle Ray City - If the idea of swimming with more than a dozen eagle
time it right. The coral in this area is truly unique, but the real treat rays at a time excites you, then a trip to Eagle Ray City is definitely in
is the chance to see large fish like Sharks, Rays, Tuna, and Napoleon order. With rock formations that rise up out of the sand, and maxi-
Wrasses. mum depth at just 30 feet, this site is suitable for all divers and is excel-
Wing Beach - Wing Beach is a great boat or beach dive located on the lent for photography. Besides the eagle rays, you’ll find an assortment
Northwest side of Saipan. The beach is also a Turtle nesting site, so it of small reef fish and quite a few crustaceans.
is not uncommon to see Turtles in this area. Wing Beach has some in- The Korean/Japanese Troop Ship This World War Two troop ship was
teresting topography to follow as you dive, such as large crevasses and owned by the Japanese, but sank while carrying conscripted Korean
ominous drop-offs. This site is well known for Shark encounters, Gi- soldiers. It is a rare type of shipwreck since it is in shallow water and
ant Moray Eels, and Spanish Dancers. As a Beach dive, divers should contains almost no overhead environment, making it a very simple,
be careful of the strong currents which can make the entry and exit safe dive. Controversially, in the mid-1990s Korean divers placed a
extremely difficult. memorial plaque on the wreck and a large stone memorial within a
H8K Emily - The H8K Emily is a wreck dive from World War II, lay- few yards of the wreck. The plaque, it’s said, mourned the death of the
ing only 30 feet below the water. Often mistaken for a B-29 Bomber, Korean soldiers but made no mention of the other war casualties. This
the H8K Emily is actually an Imperial Japanese Navy H8K or Type 2 caused a minor uproar in the multinational professional dive com-
Large Flying Boat. The Allied reporting name for this plane was “Emi- munity of Saipan. The wreck is located in the large lagoon outside
ly.” When exploring the wreck, you can still see the 7.7 mm machine Garapan/Tanapag.
gun sticking out of the nose. You will also find a chair and control Ice Cream - Ice Cream is a boat dive on the Western side of Saipan. It
panel resting nearby. The 4 large props are still intact, as is most of is a seamount, which is home to several octopus and eels. You can also
the wing. You can expect to encounter Jewel Damselfish, White Tip expect to see Eagle Rays come to visit while you are exploring. The
Sharks, and much more. best way to view an Eagle Ray is not to follow it, but rather to wait and
let it come to you. It’s possible to have Eagle Rays floating just inches
above you as they come to check you out.