wreck

Log This Dive

NANSHIN MARU

The Nanshin Maru, a tanker sunk in 1945, sits upright at 30 metres, a brooding hulk on the seafloor. We’ve always found wreck dives in this part of the world to be a bit hit or miss, but the Nanshin delivers a proper wreck experience. You can poke around the bow and stern, peer into the holds, and even get a glimpse of the engine room if you’re comfortable with some overhead environments. It’s not an open book, though; some parts are quite tight, and we always suggest a good guide for penetration. The ship itself is a canvas for marine life. Big schools of snapper and fusiliers swirl around the superstructure. We’ve spent whole dives just watching them move, catching the light as they turn in unison. Look closely, and you’ll find plenty of nudibranchs on the deck plating and moray eels peeking out from various nooks. Currents can be mild to moderate, especially around the exposed sections, so it’s best for experienced divers. Visibility tends to be decent, 15 to 20 metres, making for good photographic opportunities, particularly when the sun hits the wreck just right in the late morning.