FERNANDO J-1 - Subic Bay

The Fernando J-1 is a proper workhorse wreck, not some pristine museum piece. We love it because it’s a big, broken-up tanker, sitting upright at 20 metres, and it offers plenty of space to poke around without feeling cramped. You’ll drop onto the midsection and instantly feel the sheer scale of the thing – it’s impressive. Our favourite part has to be the engine room, easily accessible and full of cool machinery to navigate through. Light filters in through cracks, illuminating schools of small schooling fish that dart between the decaying pipes. The superstructure is quite broken, but that just means more swim-throughs and places for big groupers to hide, often startling you as they burst from the shadows. The bow section is still largely intact, a great spot for hunting out nudibranchs and flatworms clinging to the metal. It’s a site that rewards multiple dives, each one revealing a new corner or a different resident critter. Perfect for divers who enjoy a bit of history with their marine life, and comfortable with overhead environments.

Location: Subic Bay, Philippines, Southeast Asia
Coordinates: 14.533500, 120.618000
Type: wreck
Maximum Depth: 20m

Marine Protected Area: Marine Reserve No.1

Best Time to Dive in Subic Bay

The warmest water temperatures in Subic Bay occur in May, averaging 31.4°C. The coolest conditions are in February at 28.2°C.

Monthly Water Temperatures

January: 28.4°C
February: 28.2°C
March: 29.4°C
April: 30.5°C
May: 31.4°C
June: 31.3°C
July: 30.8°C
August: 29.8°C
September: 30.0°C
October: 30.4°C
November: 30.4°C
December: 29.4°C

Nearest Dive Centres to FERNANDO J-1

Arizona Dive Shop - PADI
Blueworld Dive Center - ["PADI"]
Camayan Divers - ["PADI"]
Dive Buddies Philippines - ["PADI"]
Divers Point
Ocean Deep - Diver Training Center (PADI)

Marine Life in Subic Bay

Home to 63 recorded species including 49 reef fish, 6 seagrass & algae, 5 hard corals, 2 sharks & rays, 1 sea snails & nudibranchs.

Notable Species

Flagfin Mojarra (Gerres filamentosus) - Reef Fish
Species code: Ea (Enhalus acoroides) - Seagrass & Algae
Crescent Grunter (Terapon jarbua) - Reef Fish
Bar Eyed Goby (Glossogobius giuris) - Reef Fish
Green Rrough-backed Puffer (Lagocephalus lunaris) - Reef Fish
Silver Sillago (Sillago sihama) - Reef Fish
Common Ponyfish (Leiognathus equula) - Reef Fish
Toothed Ponyfish (Gazza minuta) - Reef Fish
Blacktip Ponyfish (Eubleekeria splendens) - Reef Fish
Honeycomb coral (Favites abdita) - Hard Corals
thalassia (Thalassia hemprichii) - Seagrass & Algae
halodule (Halodule uninervis) - Seagrass & Algae
Six-banded Rock Cod (Epinephelus sexfasciatus) - Reef Fish
Silverfish (Trichiurus lepturus) - Reef Fish
Silver Javelin (Pomadasys argenteus) - Reef Fish
Staghorn coral (Acropora millepora) - Hard Corals
Canif (Aeoliscus strigatus) - Reef Fish
Butterfish (Scatophagus argus) - Reef Fish
Puntang Goby (Exyrias puntang) - Reef Fish
Giant Herring (Elops hawaiensis) - Reef Fish

Recommended Packing List for FERNANDO J-1

Based on average water temperature of 30.0°C, currents 3 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