Shipwrecks of Coron AKITSUSHIMA Sunk on September 24, 1944 by US Task Force 38 Location: Access: Condition:

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2 Shipwrecks of Coron AKITSUSHIMA One of the few true warships among the Coron wrecks, was the Akitsushima, a Japanese flying boat tender Location: Between Lajo Island and Manglet Island, south of Concepcion village on Busuanga Island. Access: 40 mins by banca from Huma Island Resort and Spa. Condition: Normally calm but with some strong currents. Not a dive for novices. The wreck, 118m (389ft) long, 4,650 gross tons, lies on its port side pointing 290 degrees (compass bearing) in 36m (119ft) of water, with the starboard side hull at 22m (72ft). The arm of the stern crane used to load and unload the flying boat lies broken to port in 36m (119ft). The main deck is split between this crane and the funnel. This is an advanced dive due to the depth and strong current. The ship can be penetrated with care, but is also good for fish life. Large groupers lurk in the hull and shoals of barracuda, tuna and snappers are found along it.

3 OKIKAWA MARU A War Standard 1TL oil tanker of the Imperial Japanese Navy Combined Fleet in WWII Attacked on September 24, 1944 by US Task Force 38 and sunk on October 9, 1944 Location: South of Conception village on Busuanga Island, on the outer edge of the Lusteveco Company Pearl Farm Access: 35 mins. by banca from Huma Island Conditions: Normally calm but fierce currents are common. Novices should check the tide tables first and penetrate the wreck only with an experienced divemaster/instructor. Use the shoreline for descent and a safety stop on ascent. Visibility 10m (33ft) to 20m (65ft). The Okikawa Maru, 160m (528ft) long, 10,045 gross tons, was sunk on October 9, 1944 by US aircraft. It sits almost level, with a slight list to port, pointing 330 degrees (compass bearing), with the bow broken off in 26m (86ft) of water. The main deck is at 16m (53ft). A good wreck for penetration and wreckdiving courses, the Okikawa Maru has everything. It is well covered with good corals, patircularly very large lettuce corals, sponges and shoals of fish including fusiliers, snappers and batfish, plus the ubiquitous lionfish and scorpionfish.

4 IRAKO MARU Refrigerated provision ship of the Imperial Japanese Navy Fleet Sunk on September 24, 1944 in Coron Bay by US Task Force 38 Location: Southeast of Lusong Island, south of the Kogyo Maru. Access: ETA 1 hour by banca from Huma Conditions: Normally calm with some strong currents. The Irako Maru is 147m (485ft) long, 9,570 gross tons, the wreck is almost upright, listing about 10 degrees to port in 45m (148ft) of water pointing 250 degrees (compass bearing). The main deck is at 34m (112ft). Penetration represents an advanced dive due to the depth, but the superstructure is interesting, with soft corals and sponges. Large groupers hover inside the wreck, while lionfish, scorpionfish, shoals of barracuda, batfish and snappers are outside it.

5 KOGYO MARU Navy auxiliary supply ship (AK), Jap. Yuso-sen Location: East of the southeast corner of Lusong Island, south of the Olympia Maru. Access: 1 hour and 30 mins by banca from Huma Island Conditions: Normally calm with some current. Visibility 10m (33ft) to 20m (65ft). The origin of this cargo vessel is not known, probably built in Europe, captured and used by the Japanese Fleet. This freighter was sunk on September 24, 1944 by US aircraft, the wreck 129m (425ft) long, 6,352 gross tons lies on its starboard side pointing 230 degrees (compass bearing) in 36m (119ft) of water. The port-side hull is at 22m (72ft). A bulldozer and a cement mixer with about 1000 cement bags lies in one of the cargo holes at 30m (99ft) depth. In another cargo hole are still other construction supplies. The Kogyo Maru is well covered with good corals, particularly very large lettuce corals, shoals of fish including fusiliers, snappers and batfish, plus the ubiquitous lionfish and scorpionfish.

6 OLYMPIA MARU Army auxiliary supply ship (AK), Jap. Yuso-sen The origin of this cargo vessel is not known, probably built in England or Australia, and captured in Singapore Location: West of the south west end of Tangat Island. Access: 2 hours by banca from Huma Island Conditions: Normally calm, with light currents that can become very strong at spring tides. Visibility 8m (24ft) to 15m (50ft). This vessel is 122m (402ft) long, 5,800 gross tons. It sits almost upright with perhaps a 15 degrees list to port, pointing 170 degrees (compass bearing) in 30m (99ft) of water. The main deck is at 16-24m (60-79ft). The site provides a good introduction to wreck diving for novices, with easy penetration of cargo holds and a good variety of fish life. There are several large pufferfish, lots of large lionfish and scorpionfish, a lone bumphead parrotfish, shoals of batfish, snappers and sweepers, six-banded angelfish and innumerable sponges. In good visibility, this is an excellent wreck for photographers.

7 MORAZAN MARU The origin of this coastal vessel is not known Location: between the northern end of Lusong Island and Tangat Island. Access: ETA 1 hour and 30 mins by banca from Huma Island. Conditions: Normally calm with some current. The origin of this cargo vessel is not known, probably built in Greece (Europe) and captured and used by the Japanese Fleet. This freighter 112m (369ft) long, 5,617 gross tons was sunk by US aircraft on September 24, It lies on its starboard side pointing 050 degrees (compass bearing) in 25m (82ft) of water. The port-side hull is at a shallower depth of 12m (40ft). This is a good dive especially for open water certified divers and above. The port-side hull has many large lettuce corals, hydroids, black corals, brown finger sponges with alabaster Sea cucumbers wrapped around them, white sponges and sea anemones with clownfish. The fish life includes shoals of small fusiliers, batfish, large groupers, golden rabbitfish, damselfish and pairs of whitecheek monocle bream. Be careful when penetrating the wreck, scorpionfish hide all over it.

8 NANSHIN MARU The origin of this 45m (150ft) coastal vessel is not known. Location: The east side of Malajon Island, called Black Island because of its black rocks. The wreck is just off the beach in front of a stranded vessel on the shore. Access: 45 mins 1 hour by banca from Huma Island Resort Conditions: Normally calm with little current, but this area, out in the South China Sea, does not have protection like Coron Bay, so conditions can get rough with fierce currents. You would not normally make this journey in bad conditions. Visibility can reach 30m (99ft). The Black Island Wreck (Nanshin Maru) sits upright but down the sandy slope from the shore, with the bow bottoming at 32m (105ft) and the stern bottoming at 20m (65ft). Relatively shallow, this dive is great for wreck-diving novices, photographers and night divers, and has plenty of fish. There are many large scorpionfish and lionfish on the superstructure, small shoals of batfish, large shoals of sweepers, snappers, fusiliers and groupers, trumpetfish, six-banded angelfish and emperor angelfish. The hull has lots of sponges and hydroids. There are crinoids, although not in the numbers seen elsewhere in the Philippines. The western side of Malajon Island has poor corals but at times of strong currents is good for sighting large pelagic species.

9 TERU KAZE MARU The origin of this coastal vessel is not known. Believed to be either a tugboat or an anti-submarine craft. Location: Close to the southwest side of Tangat Island Access: 1 hour and 45 mins by banca from Huma Island Conditions: Shallow calm water. Visibility 8m (25ft) to 15m (50ft) The wreck is 40m (132ft) long, 500 gross tons, it lies listing to starboard down a sandy slope, with the stern at 22m (72ft) and the top of the bow at 5m (15ft), pointing 320 degrees (compass bearing). This small wreck looks as though it has seen some recent salvage work. The water is mostly shallow enough for snorkelers, good for novices and photographers and for relaxation between dives. There are no corals on the wreck, but there are some large lettuce corals beside it. There are small angelfish, butterflyfish particularly copperband butterflyfish and white sponges. Crinoids and sea stars are conspicuous by their absence.

10 LUSONG GUNBOAT The origin of this coastal vessel is not known Location: The southern end of Lusong Island Access: 1 hour by banca from Huma Island Conditions: clear, calm, shallow water. Visibility can reach 30m (99ft). This shallow wreck, lying from the surface to 10m (33ft), is excellent for snorkeling and wreck photography, and is often used for relaxation between main dives. The wreck has been salvaged, and all the top has gone. It is nicely covered with sponges and soft corals, and has many copperhead butterflyfish, six-banded angelfish, pufferfish of all sizes, batfish and various sea cucumbers. The lack of crinoids and sea stars is perhaps surprising. There is also good snorkeling on the reef beside the wreck.-

11 KYOKUZAN MARU Army auxiliary supply ship (AK), Jap. Yuso-sen Sunk on September 24, 1944 by US Air Group twenty-seven Hudspeth s Division Location: Close to the Club Paradise Resort, which is located on Dimakya Island Access: 30 mins. by banca from Huma Island to Sagrada. 2 hours van ride from Sagrada to Malcaban Conditions: Normally calm with medium currents and generally better visibility than the wrecks to the south of Busuanga Island. Visibility is often around 20m (66ft). The ship 136m (449ft) long, 6,492 gross tons, sits almost upright with a 15 degree list to starboard, pointing 160 degrees (compass bearing) in 43m (142ft) of water. The main deck slopes from 22m (72ft) to 28m (92ft). the wreck is almost intact and easily penetrated, with cars and trucks in the holds. An excellent dive site.