wreck

Log This Dive

Iro Maru Wreck Palau

The Iro Maru is one of those wrecks we always make time for when we're in Palau, especially if we have newer divers in the group. It’s a 143-meter oiler, sunk during Operation Hailstone in 1944, sitting upright on the seabed at a comfortable 27 meters. What we really love about the Iro is its sheer accessibility and how much there is to poke around in without needing advanced certs. You can swim through the superstructure, peer into the engine room, and even pop down into the cargo holds if you're comfortable. Light filters in through bomb damage and open hatches, illuminating schools of glassfish that swirl like silver clouds. We've seen moray eels peeking from pipes, schools of batfish circling the mast, and robust lionfish perched regally on decks. It’s an almost perfect introduction to wreck diving, with plenty of intact structure to explore and a fascinating history you can practically feel. The bow gun is always a highlight, a really stark reminder of its past. We’d suggest going in the morning; the light penetration can be magic.