wreck

Log This Dive

YUAN HSIN NO.16

The Yuan Hsin No.16 is one of Singapore’s more interesting deep wrecks. We love a vessel with a bit of a story, and this Taiwanese trawler, barely three months old when she went down in 1989 after a collision, definitely fits the bill. Dropping down to 50 metres, you hit the bow first. She’s largely intact, lying on her port side, and the sheer scale of the fishing gear is impressive. Think massive winches, trawl doors, and rolls of netting that have become part of the structure, now heavily encrusted. Our favourite part has to be the wheelhouse. It’s a tight squeeze, but if you’re comfortable with overhead environments, you can poke your head in and get a real sense of the final moments. Look out for the resident batfish and schools of snapper that swirl around the mast. The currents here can be unpredictable, so we’d suggest timing your dive for slack water, particularly if you want to properly explore the stern. It's a dive that rewards good buoyancy and a keen eye for detail, not just for the wreck itself but for the surprising amount of life that has claimed it.