Today we got up at 7.45 am and at 8.15 we were at the breakfast, however, the waiters or the chefs were still sleepy so we got the breakfast at 8.45. That means only 15 minutes left to diving. So after some bites we ran back to the room, graped the torch and camera and went off to th divestop. Qick stop at the reception (other direction) to get two towels.
On the boat we met the australian couple again. However, only he is diving. The guides already geared up the tanks and brought our ABC-equipment and wetsuits on the boat. What a luxury. Then we went off to the first dive. The trip was very bumpy and when we arrived we were totally wet.
Our first dive was at Fujikawa Maru, 132m. 6,963 tons passenger cargo ship. It was built in 1938 and served in routes to North and South America as well as India until being taken for war used by the japanese Navy in 1940. September 1943, she was nearly sunk heading from Truk to Kwajalein by a torpedo from the USS permit. But she limped back to Truk lagoon in three days and was later repaird and returned to service in January 1944. The ronovated ship was struck by a torpedo during operation hailstone strike 3e-1 at 1420 hours by aircraft from the USS bunker hill and USS Monterey. She finally went down the next morning. That’s it to the history. So to the divespot. It is a mustdive! Totally amazing wreck!. It’s an exaircraft ferry wich rests upright. The depht is from 34m to 6m. Inside the ship you can still see airplanewings and machine guns. The mast of the ship is nearly reaching the surface. There is also a fighter plane in another room, for which that wreck became so famous. The pilothouse, baths, staterrooms, galley and engine room are also accesible, however we were only in the pilothouse and the engineroom. The bow gun is covered with plenty of colourful corals and sponges.
After that dive we went snorkeling to a little plane-a ZERO (Mitsubishi A6M Carrier Fighter „Reisen“) It lies upside down in a depht of only 6m.
The second dive was at Heian Maru, 155m. 11614 tons passenger cargo ship, It was built in 1930 at the cost of 15 million $. On her maidan voyage she set at transpazific speed record on a trip to seattle with passenger travelling in english style luxury. She was converted into a navy submarine tender in 1941. On the 17th of February 1944 a dive bomber from the USS Yorktown CV10 hit near the bow exploding the uperstructure in a fiery inferno. On the 18th two torpedo bombers from USS Bunker Hill scored near misses, but damaged the ship. The ship was then hit by Avenger torpedo bombers, which caused an explosion, sinking the ship. To the divespot: She lies on her portside. The depht is from 36m to 12m. She gained famous in 1970 when Cousteau showed her off on Tv with her name on the bow still readable in english as well as in japanese. The ship carried supplies for Japanese subs, so the wreck is crowded with sake-bottles. 14 longlance torpedos are found in the fwd hold. It is chuuks largest wreck and there are many corals on it and a shark is likelky to pass by. At least we saw one.
After the second dive we went back to the hotel, were we took an hour break and we headed to the betty bomber for our third dive. Betty – Mitsubishi G4M3 Navy Type 1 Attack Bomber – it‘ a tactical bomber from the japanese navy which first took to air in 1939. Mass production started in 1940. Her shape gave her the name flying cigar , but she would also light up when shot because of her unprotected fuel tanks. This aircraft could also carry torpedoes. It appears that this betty was landing at the Eten Island airstrip, but went down just a few hundred meters short, breaking off her nose starboard wingtip, and engines, which were tossed forward nearly 100 meters off the port side. No one knows if she was shot down, or if her demise was a result of the American Operation Hailstone assault of 17.-18.Feb.,1944. We made lots of pictures of it. There were also mnany corals and little fish. Daddy didn’t get tired of taking pictures of them.
Back at the hotel we had the daily routine. Shower -only cold water here, but who cares, dinner – not that good here, but a very lovely grannylike waitress and a drink – gin tonic, which was mixed 50% gin and 505 tonic.