VAN CAMP NO 1 - Funafuti Atoll
The *Van Camp No 1* isn't just a sunken fishing boat, it’s a time capsule. This 48-meter tuna clipper, grounded during Cyclone Bebe in 1972, lies remarkably intact, right on Funafuti’s main lagoon beach. We love that you can literally walk up to it, fins in hand, and descend straight into its ghostly embrace. This is a wreck dive for everyone, especially if you're keen on exploring a piece of history without the usual depth challenges. We’ve spent hours here, tracing the outline of the stern, imagining the chaos of that storm. The shallow depth means sunlight floods the interior, illuminating schools of small baitfish that swirl through the holds like liquid silver. Look closely amongst the twisted metal and you'll spot resident moray eels peeking from crevices, and we’ve even come across a curious reef shark or two patrolling the bow. Our favourite part? Seeing how the local kids use it as a playground, diving and jumping off the exposed sections at high tide. It makes the wreck feel alive, not just a relic. Dive it at high tide for the best visibility inside the hull, and keep an eye out for the colourful nudibranchs colonising the rust-encrusted plating.
- Location
- Funafuti Atoll, Tuvalu, Central & South Pacific
- Coordinates
- -8.499217, 179.194100
- Type
- wreck
- Maximum Depth
- 0m
Marine Protected Area: Funafuti
Best Time to Dive in Funafuti Atoll
The warmest water temperatures in Funafuti Atoll occur in January, averaging 30.3°C. The coolest conditions are in December at 30.3°C.
Monthly Water Temperatures
- January: 30.3°C (air: 28.0°C)
- February: 30.3°C (air: 27.9°C)
- March: 30.3°C (air: 28.0°C)
- April: 30.3°C (air: 28.1°C)
- May: 30.3°C (air: 28.1°C)
- June: 30.3°C (air: 28.0°C)
- July: 30.3°C (air: 27.8°C)
- August: 30.3°C (air: 27.6°C)
- September: 30.3°C (air: 27.6°C)
- October: 30.3°C (air: 27.8°C)
- November: 30.3°C (air: 28.0°C)
- December: 30.3°C (air: 28.0°C)
Nearby Dive Sites in Funafuti Atoll
- Funafuti Conservation Area - 5-20m (reef)
- Funafuti South Pass - 10-30m (reef)
- NZ 4031 - 20m (wreck)
- SISCO - 0m (wreck)
- Te Ava Tepuka - 10-35m (reef)
Marine Life in Funafuti Atoll
Home to 162 recorded species including 111 reef fish, 26 hard corals, 9 sea cucumbers, 7 sea snails & nudibranchs, 4 sharks & rays, 2 clams & mussels.
Notable Species
- Small giant clam (Tridacna maxima) - Clams & Mussels
- Burrowing urchin (Echinometra mathaei) - Sea Urchins
- Giant spider conch (Lambis truncata) - Sea Snails & Nudibranchs
- Manini (Acanthurus triostegus) - Reef Fish
- Amberfish (Thelenota anax) - Sea Cucumbers
- Bullethead Parrotfish (Chlorurus sordidus) - Reef Fish
- Bristle-toothed Surgeonfish (Ctenochaetus striatus) - Reef Fish
- Prickly Redfish (Thelenota ananas) - Sea Cucumbers
- Acropora Butterfly (Chaetodon trifascialis) - Reef Fish
- Banded Goatfish (Parupeneus multifasciatus) - Reef Fish
- Fluted clam (Tridacna squamosa) - Clams & Mussels
- Tigerfish (Bohadschia argus) - Sea Cucumbers
- Black Surgeonfish (Acanthurus nigricans) - Reef Fish
- Redfin Butterflyfish (Chaetodon lunulatus) - Reef Fish
- Orange-lined Triggerfish (Balistapus undulatus) - Reef Fish
- Kihikihi (Zanclus cornutus) - Reef Fish
- Blue-lined Tang (Zebrasoma scopas) - Reef Fish
- Clown Tang (Naso lituratus) - Reef Fish
- Argus Grouper (Cephalopholis argus) - Reef Fish
- Banded maori wrasse (Cheilinus fasciatus) - Reef Fish
Recommended Packing List for VAN CAMP NO 1
Based on average water temperature of 30.3°C.
- Shorty or Rashguard - warm 30°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