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.
