Douglas SBD Dauntless (Wreck)
Protected Area
Rendova Harbor
Why dive here
With 391+ marine species recorded in the area - including barracuda, blacktip reef sharks, grey reef sharks, humpback whales and orcas - Douglas SBD Dauntless (Wreck) offers some of Iron Bottom Sound's richest reef diving. Water ranges 29-31°C, warmest January, April, December.
Diving the Dauntless in Iron Bottom Sound feels less like visiting a wreck and more like an archaeology dig. We love how intact she is, sitting upright at 13 metres. You can practically imagine pilot Jim Dougherty’s landing. We usually drop onto the wing, then slowly make our way to the cockpit, peering in to see the gauges and controls still there. The real charm here, though, is the macro life. The Dauntless is a magnet for blennies – look closely in the crevices and you’ll spot Red-streaked Blennies peeking out. Tiny Bluestripe Pipefish weave through the coral growth on the fuselage, and we’ve often found a curious moray eel tucked into the bomb bay. It’s an easy, calm dive, usually with 17m visibility, and perfect for photographers who appreciate the details of history and the small wonders of the reef.
Reviews for Douglas SBD Dauntless (Wreck)
Conditions
Ocean conditions, forecast and tides for Douglas SBD Dauntless (Wreck)
Douglas SBD Dauntless (Wreck) Ocean Conditions
Monthly averages for Douglas SBD Dauntless (Wreck), sourced from Open-Meteo marine data - nearest station: Open-Meteo marine grid (-9.03, 159.16) (58km away)
October Averages
Sea Temperature
30°C
85°F · Range: 28.7–30.5°C
Air Temperature
27°C
80°F
Wind Speed
3.74 m/s
7.3 knots
Atmospheric Pressure
1010.5 hPa
Based on 4 years of monitoring data · Data sources: Open-Meteo marine data
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