El Capitan (USS Majaba)

Best months: Jan–Dec

Protected Area

Sabang Marine Protected Area

Why dive here

With 57+ marine species recorded in the area - including blacktip reef sharks - El Capitan (USS Majaba) offers some of Subic Bay's richest wreck diving. Water ranges 28-31°C, warmest May, June, July.

Marine lifeBlacktip Reef Sharks · 57+ species recorded

Water28-31°C · warmest May, June, July

CharacterWreck dive · max 20m

El Capitan, the USS Majaba, is a wreck we always look forward to diving in Subic. Sitting upright at a flat 20 metres, it's a perfect intermediate dive; deep enough to feel like a proper wreck, shallow enough to let you linger. We love dropping down onto the huge cargo holds, often finding a pair of resident lionfish tucked into a corner, just waiting for a photo op. The sheer size of the Majaba is what gets us every time. This isn’t some small boat. You can spend your entire bottom time exploring just one section, pushing through the superstructure or peering into the massive open holds that once stored military hardware. Schools of batfish often hang motionless above the deck, occasionally swirling as you approach. Look closely at the hull and you’ll spot nudibranchs, usually a few different varieties, slowly making their way across the barnacle-encrusted metal. Our favourite section has to be the stern, where the prop shaft housing offers a natural overhang for all sorts of critters. Dive this one in the morning if you can, before the bay gets too busy, and you might just have the old girl all to yourself.