Diving Thoughts

The Kansho is one of my favourite dives, primarily because of her engine room.

She was built in 1938 as a passenger / cargo ferry, but was taken over by the Japanese navy and a 3 inch bow gun was fitted. She was used for transporting supplies and was bombed in Kwajalein. Her engine room was damaged and she had to be towed to Truk by the Momokawa Maru. Both ships anchored in the repair anchorage on their arrival and both were sunk in the Hailstone attacks. The Kansho Maru was hit by a torpedo and sank in 40 metres of water. She is upright, with a 20 degree list to port.

We did this as a dusk dive, and as we dropped down in daylight, there was a nice little turtle swimming along the wreck. We headed into the engine room, which is 3 storeys high with ladders leading you down. Following the guide we went through too quickly to see it as much as we wanted, something we corrected later in the week.

Swimming forwards we had a look at the bow gun before heading back to the 4 storey superstructure. We had a good look in a number of rooms including the radio room and the galley. We went up to the navigation deck where there is a well-preserved telegraph. We finished up our safety stops on the funnel, where we inadvertently picked up a spare diver from Fong’s group who had arrived 20 minutes after us. I suppose all divers look the same in the dark!

Kansho Maru

• Displacement: 4,861tons
• Length: 380 feet
• Beam: 52.5 feet
• Engine: 1 diesel engine
• Depth: 8 – 40  m.

Our Dive

• Depth: 35.1 m.
• Time: 54 minutes
• Gas:  Air

Graphic courtesy of Captain Lance Higgs of S.S. Thorfinn.

The Shinkoku is a lovely dive with good coral growth and excellent fish life.

She was built in 1939 as a tanker, and she originally carried oil from the US, before the oil embargo was imposed. She was then converted into a fleet oiler and supported Admiral Nagano’s strike force in the Pearl Harbour attack. She survived two days of Hailstone attacks before being sunk by a torpedo which hit the engine room.

We started on the bridge and visited the infirmary with its operating table. There are a number of rooms off  the infirmary, including bathrooms, and a lot of things to see in the superstructure.

We then headed backwards to the rear part of the ship and headed down through a variety of rooms into the large engine room. We spent some time in there before having a look at the stern gun, then heading back to the bridge. There are 3 telegraphs still upright in the bridge section. Fish life was good, with the ubiquitous blue fin trevally in evidence throughout the dive. Another excellent dive, and rightly regarded as among the best in Truk Lagoon.

Shinkoku Maru

• Displacement: 10,020 tons
• Length: 500 feet
• Beam: 65 feet
• Engine: 1 diesel engine
• Depth: 12 – 40  m.

Our Dive

• Depth: 34.7 m.
• Time: 53 minutes
• Gas:  Nitrox 32

Graphic courtesy of Captain Lance Higgs of S.S. Thorfinn.

The Kiyozumi Maru was built in 1934 as a freighter with passenger accommodation. In November 1941 the navy converted her into an armed raider by adding six inch guns, torpedo launchers and anti-aircraft guns. In 1943 the navy reversed course slightly and she was converted to a transport ship. After being torpedoed she was towed to Truk for repairs, a case of out of the frying pan and into the fire. While being repaired she was bombed and sank on her port side in 30 metres of water.

We swam in through the large torpedo hole into the second hold. From there we went through the superstructure where the engine room was wide open. We passed the rear holds and swam past the stern and onto the hull. On the hull there are a number of artefacts that have been placed there for people to see.

Bicycle in Hold #5. Photo by Lau Wing Kee

Kiyozumi Maru

• Displacement: 6,983 tons
• Length: 450 feet
• Beam: 61 feet
• Engine: 1 diesel engine
• Depth: 10 – 32  m.

Our Dive

• Depth: 27.2 m.
• Time: 54 minutes
• Gas:  Nitrox 32

Graphic courtesy of Captain Lance Higgs of S.S. Thorfinn.

To help celebrate World Ocean Day, Ecovision and the Canadian Chamber of Commerce are hosting a lunch panel discussion on Monday 7th June at the Mira Hong Kong Hotel in TST. In the evening they are also showing Sharkwater, and the special guest will be the film’s director, Rob Stewart.

For more information, go to their website.