USS Saratoga Wreck - Bikini Atoll
Dropping down onto the USS Saratoga, it’s not just the sheer scale that grabs you, it’s the quiet power of the place. This aircraft carrier, a veteran of both WWII and atomic bomb tests, now rests upright at 45 metres. We love finning along her flight deck, imagining the planes that once launched from here, now replaced by giant groupers and schools of barracuda that shimmer in the filtered light. Inside, the hangar bays are vast, dark caverns. Our favourite moment is always pushing into the medical bay, the old porcelain sinks and instruments still eerily intact. You’ll spend time exploring the anti-aircraft guns, encrusted with thick corals, home to curious reef sharks. The Saratoga offers a profound experience for any diver comfortable with depth and overhead environments, a truly unique blend of history and thriving marine life. Expect to feel a sense of scale you won't find anywhere else.
- Location
- Bikini Atoll, Marshall Islands, Central & South Pacific
- Coordinates
- 11.546200, 165.541200
- Type
- wreck
- Maximum Depth
- 45m
- Difficulty
- Intermediate
Marine Protected Area: Bikini
Best Time to Dive in Bikini Atoll
The warmest water temperatures in Bikini Atoll occur in January, averaging 27.7°C. The coolest conditions are in December at 27.7°C.
Monthly Water Temperatures
- January: 27.7°C (air: 26.9°C)
- February: 27.7°C (air: 26.7°C)
- March: 27.7°C (air: 26.9°C)
- April: 27.7°C (air: 27.1°C)
- May: 27.7°C (air: 27.5°C)
- June: 27.7°C (air: 27.7°C)
- July: 27.7°C (air: 27.9°C)
- August: 27.7°C (air: 27.9°C)
- September: 27.7°C (air: 28.0°C)
- October: 27.7°C (air: 27.8°C)
- November: 27.7°C (air: 27.8°C)
- December: 27.7°C (air: 27.5°C)
Nearby Dive Sites in Bikini Atoll
- Bikini Atoll
- HIJMS Nagato - 35-55m (wreck)
- HIJMS Nagato (Wreck) - 51m (wreck)
- USS Pilotfish - 30-45m (wreck)
- USS Saratoga - 15-55m (wreck)
Marine Life in Bikini Atoll
Home to 268 recorded species including 190 reef fish, 65 hard corals, 3 clams & mussels, 3 sea snails & nudibranchs, 2 sharks & rays, 1 jellyfish.
Notable Species
- Honeycomb Grouper (Epinephelus merra) - Reef Fish
- Silver Squirrelfish (Sargocentron microstoma) - Reef Fish
- Three-spot wrasse (Halichoeres trimaculatus) - Reef Fish
- Bullethead Parrotfish (Chlorurus sordidus) - Reef Fish
- Belted wrasse (Stethojulis balteata) - Reef Fish
- Manini (Acanthurus triostegus) - Reef Fish
- Hexagon Grouper (Epinephelus hexagonatus) - Reef Fish
- Bird wrasse (Gomphosus varius) - Reef Fish
- Ghost Cardinalfish (Nectamia fusca) - Reef Fish
- Citron Butterfly (Chaetodon citrinellus) - Reef Fish
- Dusky Wrasse (Halichoeres marginatus) - Reef Fish
- Lemon Peel (Centropyge flavissima) - Reef Fish
- Armed Squirrel-fish (Neoniphon sammara) - Reef Fish
- Pearl-spotted wrasse (Halichoeres margaritaceus) - Reef Fish
- Wrasse (Cheilinus trilobatus) - Reef Fish
- Floral wrasse (Cheilinus chlorourus) - Reef Fish
- Clown Tang (Naso lituratus) - Reef Fish
- Peppered Squirrelfish (Sargocentron punctatissimum) - Reef Fish
- Four-saddle Grouper (Epinephelus spilotoceps) - Reef Fish
- Banded Fringe Blenny (Cirripectes variolosus) - Reef Fish
Recommended Packing List for USS Saratoga Wreck
Based on average water temperature of 27.7°C.
- Shorty or Rashguard - warm 28°C water needs minimal exposure protection
- Mask - essential for every dive
- Fins
- BCD - buoyancy compensator
- Regulator - your most safety-critical piece of gear
- Dive Computer - tracks depth, time, and NDL
- Surface Marker Buoy (SMB) - essential for boat pickups
- Dive Torch - useful for crevices and colour at depth
- Underwater Camera - capture your diving memories