San Francisco Maru
Why dive here
With 195+ marine species recorded in the area - including barracuda, blacktip reef sharks, eagle rays, grey reef sharks and whitetip reef sharks - San Francisco Maru offers some of Chuuk (Truk) Lagoon's richest wreck diving. Water ranges 29-30°C, warmest August, October, November.
The San Francisco Maru isn’t just a dive, it's a history lesson encased in rust, plummeting from 45m to a maximum of 65m. We love the feeling of descent here, dropping onto a deck still laden with Japanese Type 95 Ha-Go light tanks. It’s a genuine chill, seeing those turrets angled skyward, frozen in time. Below deck, there are trucks and mines – a truly haunting cargo. This is an expert dive, no question, and we’d suggest good buoyancy control is essential to avoid silting out the holds. Inside, the gloom presses in, only broken by the beam of a dive light revealing honeycomb groupers lurking in shadowy corners or the iridescent flash of a roundhead parrotfish darting past a porthole. Look closely at the deck plating; you’ll often spot curious ostrich gobies peeking out. The sheer scale and preservation make it one of our favourite deep wrecks in Chuuk, a tangible link to a pivotal moment.
Typical San Francisco Maru Dive Profile
Illustrative profile based on site depth and type. Actual dive profiles vary - always follow your dive computer and training.
Safety Notes
Maximum depth 45m exceeds recreational limits (40m). Technical diving certification and equipment required.
Wreck site - avoid penetration without wreck diving certification. Watch for sharp metal and entanglement hazards.
Always perform a 3-minute safety stop at 5m before surfacing.
Nearest Dive Centres to San Francisco Maru
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Conditions
Ocean conditions, forecast and tides for San Francisco Maru
San Francisco Maru Ocean Conditions
Monthly averages for San Francisco Maru, sourced from Open-Meteo marine data - nearest station: Open-Meteo marine grid (7.41, 151.84) (2km away)
October Averages
Sea Temperature
30°C
86°F · Range: 29.3–31.4°C
Air Temperature
28°C
82°F
Wind Speed
6.4 m/s
12.4 knots
Atmospheric Pressure
1009.4 hPa
Based on 4 years of monitoring data · Data sources: Open-Meteo marine data
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