freediving the tulamben wreck

I understand the tulamben wreck is a short swim from the beach, so a for a couple of days i would like to freedive instead of scuba, is there any issue with that (might need a permit or pay to go there)? Is it suitable to freedive there? is there a buoyline? if so, is it heavily congested with divers? i've read the wreck sits at 3m-30m, is that right? what are the surface conditions generally like and is there much of a current at the bottom of the wreck?

u can free dive there, no problem, only a lot of divers around u. the wreck has normally not a lot of current....

The wreck is all yours early and late in the day. Mid-day, day trippers arrive to dive, and you will be one of a crowd. If I had freediving skills (not happening!), I'd dive it at 6:00-6:30 AM for the best experience.

No need to pay anything if you are just walking in off the beach onto the wreck, and although the breakers along the beach can be tricky at times, mostly it is safe to just snorkel out over the wreck.

You will be able to see the schooling jacks from the surface, I have never dived the wreck and not seen them.

Yes, there will be many divers if you go midday, but as had been previously said, get there early and you should have most of the site to yourself. You might even get to spot the bumphead parrotfish that call the place 'home' when the divers aren't there. Like a herd of buffalo, they chomp their way along the corals, an amazing sight (and sound)!

It's weird when you're diving Tulamben to see a free-diver coming down to your level on just one breath, kinda freaks you out!

Ill be there in a week. If you are there, make sure you wave to the blonde!!

Thats awesome, thanks for the replies. I'm looking at trying to get some video of the bumpheads and i'm also a big fan of schooling jacks... so, what depth is the wreck lying at, i've heard 3 to 30m is this correct?

i'll be there a week on Tuesday, i'll be sure to give you a wave, make sure you smile for the camera...

Yes, top of the wreck is 3m. Deepest bottom 28m. There is a small amount of current at the moment (I'm there now), but very slight. The wreck is 3mins swim from shore, couldn't be easier
If you go @6am-6:30 you can see the humpheads in shallower water (12m-18m) on the slope coming up from the wreck. Often a school of them will sleep in the wreck at night.

This is them on the slope 3 weeks ago:

[video=youtube;h4ujb3GAG2o]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h4ujb3GAG2o[/video]