Dive n. 209: Kensho Maru, Chuuk Lagoon, 31m, 40'

Click on the drawing to enlarge

I did this dive alone with my guide Johnny, a local Chuukese who knows this wreck like the back of his hand. He takes me around the dark, silty bowels of the ship with unfailing dexterity. We visited the engine room, where all kinds of tools are still neatly hanging on their racks. The radio room is in great shape, the big apparatus still on its feet. Lots of plates and bowls lying around.

Tea cup in the Kensho maru

Immersione con Johnny, guida locale. Sono da solo, gli altri hanno preferito tornare sul Betty. Johnny conosce il relitto come le sue tasche, mi porta in giro nel buio con grande sicurezza. Andiamo in sala macchine, poi in sala trasmissioni, dove l'enorme apparato radio è ancora tutto intero. Molte suppellettili, coppette di ceramica, vasellame.

Buy this book on Operation Hailstone, the attack by American navy on Chuuk in February 1944.

Dive n. 207: Yamagiri, Chuuk Lagoon, 30m, 35'

Interessante elica di motore, e gli enormi proiettili da 18 pollici (46 cm) i più grandi mai costruiti e destinati alle corazzate Yamato e Musashi che stazionarono a Truk nel 1943.

18-inch shells

Artillery shells

Spare propeller

You can watch a video by Andrew Lee here

Dive n. 206: Fumizuki, Chuuk Lagoon, 33m, 35'

Fumizuki in 1926

Drawing by the Thorfinn yacht

Dive on the cruiser Fumizuki.

The Fumitsuki was a Mutsuki Class Destroyer built in 1926, 320ft/97m long with a gross tonnage of 1,913 tons normal, and 1,590 tons light after reconstruction. She was driven by 2-shaft Parsons geared turbines and 4 Kampon boilers. She could carry a complement of 150 officers and crew. She was one of only two real Japanese Navy combat ships sunk in Truk Lagoon.

She was capable of over 33.5 knots fully loaded, but was under repair at the time of her demise. The name translates as “the 7th month of the moon calendar when rice/flowers ripen.” Information from Trukwreckdiving.com

I can see the railway used to move equipment of the bridge and torpedo launchers.

Fumizuki evading attack during Operation Hailstone

Railway to move shells on ship

Torpedo launchers

Dive 203: Unkai Maru

Military transport ship built in Newcastle in 1905 and sold to a Japanese shipping company in 1921. Requisitioned by Imperial Japanese Navy for the war.

U.S. newspaper aboard from time Japan and U.S. were still neutral

Gas mask

American newspaper from California!

See this video by Rod MacDonald on the Unkai Maru

Dive n. 204: Rio de Janeiro Maru, Chuuk Lagoon, 33m, 40'

Drawing by the yacht Thorfinn

Interesting dive on the Rio de Janeiro Maru where I can photograph the hugh props and tons of bottles of sake.

Stay tuned for more pics as I scan them...