Laura Marie Wreck

Best months: Dec–Apr

Why dive here

With 297+ marine species recorded in the area - including barracuda, blacktip reef sharks, giant moray eels, grey reef sharks and seahorses - Laura Marie Wreck offers some of Yap's richest wreck diving. Water ranges 29-30°C, warmest June, July, October.

Best timeDec–Apr

WetsuitA 3mm shorty or thin full wetsuit

Marine lifeBarracuda, Blacktip Reef Sharks, Giant Moray Eels, Grey Reef Sharks and Seahorses · 297+ species recorded

Water29-30°C · warmest June, July, October

CharacterWreck dive · max 10-30m

StandoutExceptional marine biodiversity

The Laura Marie, a Japanese fishing trawler, sits upright on a sandy bottom just outside Colonia, Yap’s main town. We love how accessible it is, a quick boat ride and you’re dropping down onto a proper piece of history. What really gets us about this wreck isn't just its story, but the way nature has claimed it back. You’ll find the wheelhouse still largely intact, a great spot to peer inside and imagine the old crew. Schools of batfish often hang out around the mast, just swaying with the gentle surge, and we've regularly seen reef sharks cruising by in the blue, using the wreck as a kind of waypoint. Our favourite part is probably the stern, where the propeller is still mostly there, now covered in a colourful tapestry of soft corals and anemones. It's a relaxed dive, typically with minimal current, making it a fantastic second dive of the day or a solid choice for those newer to wreck diving who still want plenty to explore. Visibility is usually pretty good, around 20 metres or more, giving you ample time to take in the whole scene.