Page 496 - Melanesia
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BONEGI ONE: Japanese transport ship (Hirokawa and safe. Depth Range: 6 meters – 7 meters. meters.
Maru). Attacked by American Dive Bombers and
beached on November 14, 1942. This ship is lay- I-1 SUBMARINE: This Japanese Submarine was SOLSEA: This dive sees the hull of an island trader
ing Bow to the shore on its Port Side. This is an sunk by two New Zealand Corvettes, the “Kiwi” scuttled on a patch of reef. She is sitting upright
excellent dive site with a profusion of corals and and the “Moa” on January 29, 1943. and inclined with her Bow reaching skyward. The
fish life in the shallows to pelagic fish at depth. wreck acts as a natural fish aggregating device
Access in and out of the wreck is easy and safe. SASAKO MARU: A third Japanese transport ship attracting Spanish mackerel and Rainbow runner
Depth Range: 3 meters – 57 meters. attacked by American dive bombers and sunk on school overhead, while deeper down Coral trout
October 15, 1942. The ship is lying on its Port side and Red Emperor lurk the waters. Depth Range:
BONEGI TWO: Japanese transport ship (Kinugawa and is a dive for the very experienced diver as the 18 meters – 40 meters.
Maru) that sunk with Bonegi one. The ship is lay- hull starts at 60 meters. Depth Range: 60 meters
ing Bow on to the shore and the stern is lying on -80 meters. U.S.S JOHN PENN: The John Penn was a 6500 ton
its port side. Great wreck for a second dive with U.S Troop ship that sunk on August 13, 1943. A
good coral and fish life in the shallows. Depth SERPENS: Not far from the U.S.S John Penn is the Japanese air attack resulted in a torpedo hit to the
Range: Surface – 27 meters. bow section of a liberty ship lying in shallower stern of the ship at Lunga point. The ship is lying
water. Lying upside down in the sand, masses of on its starboard side on a sandy bottom. Huge
RUANUI: Japanese transport ship (Kyushu Maru). reef fish have made this wreck their home. Large schools of pelagic fish such as barracuda and
She went down with Bonegi one and two. The Cod rest lazily on the bottom while schools of Spanish mackerel inhabit the wreck. Entry and
ship is laying Bow on to the shore and lies on port Emperor, Sweet lip and Mangrove jacks swarm exit into rooms are easy. Depth Range: 40 meters
side. Great wreck for coral and fish life in the shal- around the divers. Penetration into the wreck – 60 meters.
lows to pelagic fish at depth. Entry and exit is easy is possible at the stern. Depth: 24 meters – 40
