wreck

Log This Dive

Chien Tong, wreck

The Chien Tong, a purpose-sunk Taiwanese fishing trawler, sits upright and largely intact at 24 metres. We love that it’s still very much a ship, not just a pile of rubble. You can often swim right into the wheelhouse, though some of the interior has started to collapse, so keep an eye on your buoyancy and your surroundings. It’s got a bit of a ghostly feel, especially when the light shifts, and those big open holds make for some dramatic swim-throughs. This wreck really shows how quickly the sea reclaims things. We’ve seen huge barracuda patrolling the deck, often hovering just above the bow, and often find nurse sharks resting underneath. Schools of snapper and grunts hang around the mast, and the hard corals are starting to get a good foothold on the superstructure. It’s a comfortable intermediate dive, great for wreck lovers who appreciate a bit of penetration without anything too technical. Our favourite time to dive it is late morning, when the sun is high and you get those beautiful shafts of light cutting through the holds.