Ijn Cruiser Kumano At Santa Cruz, Zambales, Philippines

[dirtguy49]

Hi

Has anyone dove on the WWII Japanese Heavy Cruiser Kumano at Santa Cruz, Dasol Bay, Zambales?

Interested to dive this wreck and need information on the wreck site, available dive support in the Santa Cruz area, etc.......

Thanks for information that you can supply.

 

[Centrals]

The nearest dive centre is probably Ocean Deep in San Fernando(La Union).
The upturned wreck might have been completely buried by the ash from the eruption of Mt. Pinatubo(1991).

 

[dirtguy49]

Thanks Centrals..... I dive the wrecks at Subic pretty regularly, so I would probably plan a trip from there. Straight up the coast from Olongapo to Santa Cruz is 100km or so...... Subic got some of the heaviest ash fall in 91 and the wrecks there have some ash, but not enough today to affect the diving... See the ash fall map here.... Most of the ash went south, southwest and southeast away from Pinatubo....

 

[Centrals]

I remember reading on line that the wreck was salvaged in the 50's(?) by the Taiwanese. So someone in Santa Cruz might still remember it.
There was even a hand drawing of the wreck.

Good luck to your trip.

 

[dirtguy49]

Well, it was shallow enough at 30 meters, so it would have been relatively easy for salvage.... Thanks