Truk Lagoon Ghosts of the Past

[Karim Hamza]

GUE Seattle and LAUE visit the wonderful wrecks of Truk Lagoon. Enjoy.


[vimeo]138115376[/vimeo]

 

[CT-Rich]

What a gorgeous video.

 

[Kevrumbo]

Nice edit job, from the full 75min version, Karim!

2013 was a great year for the visiting international GUE divers to Truk (Kiril Egorov and his Russian group came later that year and was beta testing the JJ CCR).

Former Truk Stop Dive Op Manager Rob McGann ("Dive with the Beard") was the best & most experienced dive guide in leading technical traverse penetrations on the rarely visited deeper wrecks of the Fourth Fleet Anchorage & up at the North/North-East Passes. Good to see him again in the video and brings back fun (and harrowing!) memories. . .

 

[Seya]

Awesome video and Rob was the best

Sent from my SGH-I337M using Tapatalk

 

[abscuba]

Great video. Amazing footage. Makes me want to go back, definitely the best wrecking diving in the world.

 

[steady1570]

Lovely video, thanks for sharing.

We are off to Truk at the end of next month and this has really whet my appetite! Any tips on some of the less visited deeper wrecks that we shouldn't miss?

-Mark

 

[Kevrumbo]

Lovely video, thanks for sharing.

We are off to Truk at the end of next month and this has really whet my appetite! Any tips on some of the less visited deeper wrecks that we shouldn't miss?

-Mark

(Links From Pete Measley's website):
50m to 60m Deep:
Oite Destroyer
Aikoku Maru
Fujisan Maru

60m to 70m Deep:
Hokuyo Maru
Reiyo Maru
Nagano Maru
Katsuragisan Maru

Typical week long liveaboard itineraries such as the Truk Odyssey or Thorfinn do not include these wrecks --you have to go with a land based dive operation such as Truk Stop Hotel/Truk Lagoon Dive Center or Blue Lagoon Dive Shop, and specifically request the wrecksite of interest. Ask for a dive guide that will actually lead you through the wreck and also do the requisite deco profile with you --if not then at least get an escort dive guide to make sure you find the wreck at depth, and then you & your team are on your own. . .

 

[steady1570]

(Links From Pete Measley's website):
50m to 60m Deep:
Oite Destroyer
Aikoku Maru
Fujisan Maru

60m to 70m Deep:
Hokuyo Maru
Reiyo Maru
Nagano Maru
Katsuragisan Maru

Typical week long liveaboard itineraries such as the Truk Odyssey or Thorfinn do not include these wrecks --you have to go with a land based dive operation such as Truk Stop Hotel/Truk Lagoon Dive Center or Blue Lagoon Dive Shop, and specifically request the wrecksite of interest. Ask for a dive guide that will actually lead you through the wreck and also do the requisite deco profile with you --if not then at least get an escort dive guide to make sure you find the wreck at depth, and then you & your team are on your own. . .

Thanks for that. We are doing 2 weeks there, one on Thorfinn and one shore based with BLG, aiming to do the deeper wrecks with BLG. They have asked us to send over a list of any sites that we would want to visit so the dive guide can plan, hence the wonder if there was anything not on Pete's excellent website that might be worth a visit! Mainly CCR divers, so I am guessing the guide will start with us but perhaps not do the whole profile (although I appreciate those guys have unbelievable SAC etc)

-Mark

 

[Kevrumbo]

Thanks for that. We are doing 2 weeks there, one on Thorfinn and one shore based with BLG, aiming to do the deeper wrecks with BLG. They have asked us to send over a list of any sites that we would want to visit so the dive guide can plan, hence the wonder if there was anything not on Pete's excellent website that might be worth a visit! Mainly CCR divers, so I am guessing the guide will start with us but perhaps not do the whole profile (although I appreciate those guys have unbelievable SAC etc)

-Mark

Be careful penetrating down into the Aikoku Maru engine room "tomb"; run a reel from the port side door entrance companionway, just aft of the catastrophic break & fracture. The whole remaining superstructure is starting to sag & pancake down on the lower decks.

There is an old line spanning the short traverse route through the engine room of the Oite Destroyer --very interesting inside but extremely tight in places: it was a squeeze getting a 11L twinset through. On CCR, you might have to unclip and push your bailout cylinder ahead of you.

End of October is the start of the "Winter" season, with prevailing NE winds and surface chop. Air & water temp still average 28deg C, but wind chill, surface swells and the afternoon rain squalls can make for a very cold & rough boat ride to and from the wreck sites.