Shinwa Maru - Cenderawasih Bay
The Shinwa Maru, a 120m Japanese transport, sits upright off Marsinam Island, deep in Cenderawasih Bay. It’s a wreck that demands respect, extending well beyond recreational limits, down to 120m. We typically hit the shallower sections, finding the bridge and cargo holds still remarkably intact. Look for the bow gun and the general ship structure, now a home for schooling fusiliers and the occasional grouper. This site is definitely one for advanced wreck enthusiasts comfortable with deeper profiles and potentially strong currents.
- Location
- Cenderawasih Bay, Indonesia, Southeast Asia
- Coordinates
- -2.990000, 134.830000
Best Time to Dive in Cenderawasih Bay
The warmest water temperatures in Cenderawasih Bay occur in November, averaging 30.7°C. The coolest conditions are in July at 29.8°C.
Monthly Water Temperatures
- January: 30.5°C
- February: 30.2°C
- March: 30.0°C
- April: 30.2°C
- May: 30.2°C
- June: 29.9°C
- July: 29.8°C
- August: 30.0°C
- September: 30.0°C
- October: 30.4°C
- November: 30.7°C
- December: 30.6°C
Nearby Dive Sites in Cenderawasih Bay
- 3 Rocks - 5-20m (pinnacle)
- Ahe Dive Resort
- Andie Reef (reef)
- Aquarium (reef)
- Bagus
- Cenderawasih Bay (reef)
- Cenderawasih Diving: West Papua, New Guinea Island
- Conservation House Reef (reef)
- Cristmas Rock
- Disney Land - 5-20m (reef)
- Dramai
- Fresh Waters
- GT Rock
- JAU-12 - 2m (wreck)
- Java Rif (reef)
Marine Life in Cenderawasih Bay
Home to 84 recorded species including 38 reef fish, 36 hard corals, 7 sea snails & nudibranchs, 1 clams & mussels, 1 sharks & rays, 1 octopus & squid.
Notable Species
- Boring Clam (Tridacna crocea) - Clams & Mussels
- Whale Shark (Rhincodon typus) - Sharks & Rays
- Staghorn coral (Acropora tenella) - Hard Corals
- cowry (Monetaria moneta) - Sea Snails & Nudibranchs
- Staghorn coral (Acropora batunai) - Hard Corals
- Montipora coral (Montipora angulata) - Hard Corals
- Staghorn coral (Acropora elegans) - Hard Corals
- Crazy Fish (Butis butis) - Reef Fish
- Lesser star coral (Cyphastrea microphthalma) - Hard Corals
- Bar Eyed Goby (Glossogobius giuris) - Reef Fish
- Grammistes Blenny (Meiacanthus grammistes) - Reef Fish
- Staghorn coral (Acropora paniculata) - Hard Corals
- Golden Flathead Goby (Glossogobius aureus) - Reef Fish
- Black Spinecheek Gudgeon (Eleotris melanosoma) - Reef Fish
- Encrusting pore coral (Montipora aequituberculata) - Hard Corals
- Hairy Scorpionfish (Scorpaenodes hirsutus) - Reef Fish
- Interrupta Glassy Perchlet (Ambassis interrupta) - Reef Fish
- Humpbacked conch (Gibberulus gibberulus) - Sea Snails & Nudibranchs
- Marbled Cone (Conus marmoreus) - Sea Snails & Nudibranchs
- Staghorn coral (Acropora solitaryensis) - Hard Corals
Recommended Packing List for Shinwa Maru
Based on average water temperature of 30.2°C, currents 6 cm/s.
- 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