A graveyard in paradise: Truk Lagoon

This beautiful tropical island was the site of wartime tragedy but is now a major wreck diving location.

During World War II Truk lagoon, Chuuk, Micronesia, and the surrounding islands were a major naval base for the Imperial Japanese Navy and inevitably became a priority American target. In February 1944, the lagoon was the scene of a big battle between US and Japanese forces. At the end of the battle over 50 Japanese ships had been sunk. We cannot imagine the horror that the servicemen of both sides went through in this confrontation. The remains of the battle lie within diving depth, between 20-40 meters, making Truk Lagoon one of the premier wreck diving destinations in the world.

Chuuk is located near Guam, and its capital Weno is the main point of departure for dive boats going to the wrecks. Thirty minutes tops and your speedboat is buoyed above a WWII wreck. As you kit up and don your mask and fins, you feel the excitement of exploring history.

"The pool is open," Estos our local dive guide said. We rolled backward off the boat and descended into the crystal-clear, aqua-blue water. Soon the outline of the Fujikawa Maru came into sight. The viz was outstanding and we could see almost the whole ship. Blue, purple, and yellow fish swam by us as we neared the deck. Estos pointed to a marker on the bow: "… sunk February 17, 1944 … this plaque placed … on the 50th Anniversary is dedicated to the preservation of and respect for the remaining ships, aircraft and artifacts as a heritage for the people of Truk Lagoon." Looking up I saw the bow gun. Long stems of purple and white soft coral hung from it. Estos directed us into the bow hold. As we switched on our lights and descended, I saw the faint outline of a tail fin. The cockpit, tires, and bullets of a Japanese Zero fighter came into view with a crewman's gas mask draped on it.

Out we swam back to the stern. Along the way, passing by porcelain sinks used by the crew, we saw several grey-reef sharks patrolling the perimeter of the ship with a school of jacks and a large barracuda in the background. We descended down the stern encrusted in pinkish-yellow coral and looked up to see our dive boat bobbing on top-water visibility 30 meters plus.

Swimming along the bottom back to the bow we encountered a marble ray rippling though the water. Ascending along the anchor line my mind was filled with images of the past and present. I thought of the soldiers who lost their lives and the marine life that has now begun to flourish in this artificial reef. Divers should respect the past while enjoying the underwater environment today.

"Etten Island for lunch," Estos said while peeling off his wet suit. Wanting to attack American pilots, the Japanese soldiers built an airfield on a small island close to Weno. From above it looks like an aircraft carrier. Truk was heavily fortified with air support.

"You can snorkel on the Zero before lunch," Estos commented. There are two sunken planes next to Etten Island. One is an upside-down Zero, and the other is an upright Japanese bomber, "Betty." The latter is only diveable as it is 20 meters deep. Many artifacts remain including a machine gun, radio, and toilet. After a bento lunch on the grassy island, we headed off to the Shinkoku Maru. Des- cending down the anchor line we are greeted with sake bottles, china dishes, shoes, bullets, gas masks, canteens, and a first aid kit on the top deck. Further down, we penetrate the operating room and glimpse the surgeon's table. Emerging from the room we see huge red gorgonian fans and multi-colored soft coral. A large school of plate-sized yellow and black batfish shuttle by in search of tranquil surroundings.

Estos directs us back to the stern and points out the telegraph on deck still intact as though awaiting orders from the captain. As we swim back to the anchor line, two eagle rays dart by and there are several grey reef sharks in the distance.

After two dives, we returned to Weno. Sitting at the bar overlooking the calm blue water, I lost track of everything I had seen that day. Unlike other wreck sites, Truk Lagoon has never been salvaged. The Japanese government recovered as many bones as possible, but the equipment, ammunition, and utensils have remained as a submerged museum. "The Nippo Maru is first since it is deep, around 40 meters," Estos said the next morning. Jacques Cousteau originally discovered this wreck in 1969. Off the anchor line, around 35 meters was a Japanese tank sitting on deck. It was a surreal sight. Estos was holding up a pair of binoculars as though he could see the enemy above. Looking around I found shells, bullets, and gas masks. At five meters, as we clung to the anchor line for a safety stop, five dolphins showed up to keep us company. "Unbelievable," I shouted while removing my mask on the surface. "I have been diving for over 10 years, and never did I see dolphins on a safety stop," I told Estos. He broke into a smile and said, "Sometimes they follow divers in this area."

Later, we did a multilevel dive on the Gosei Maru. Here you can see large torpedoes beside the boat as well as the enormous four-bladed propeller still intact. I saw several bones in the hold too.

Over the course of a week, we did many dives on the wrecks. The Yamagiri Maru has huge shells that were destined for the Yamato battleship as well as giant spare propeller blades. The Rio De Janeiro Maru has many, many boxes of beer and sake bottles still un-opened. The largest ship in the lagoon, the Heian Maru, has torpedoes and periscopes. And, the San Francisco Maru, one of the deepest wrecks at 50 meters plus, has three battle tanks on deck along with dishes that could be used in your kitchen today. A lifetime could be spent just exploring the various rooms and holds of the wrecks.

Not to be missed is Shark Island. Opposite most of the wrecks in the lagoon sits a tiny island with a few palm trees and white sand. From a distance it looks like it belongs in an aquarium. Three species of sharks-white tip, black tip, and grey reef-call this island home. In vast numbers. If you survive a dive at Shark Island, you will surely return to Truk Lagoon. A paradise in the Pacific with a less than peaceful past.

Text & photos: Timothy L Willis