We acknowledge and thank Peter Stone and Monica Foster authors of "Rabaul's Forgotten Fleet" for some of the information on this page. They dived these wrecks extensively in the 1970s and put together a magnificent reference book which contains information on the majority of the wreck dives in Rabaul Harbour including the ones that have now been lost to the volcanic eruptions in 1994. For more information on this book and others you can contact Peter Stone at peter@oceans.com.au .
This is one of the best wreck dives you could ask for. The wreck itself rests bow up on a steep slope with its anchor firmly fastened in its anchor hole on the starboard side. The ship’s length is roughly 220ft and the wreck is estimated to be about 1,500-2,000 tons. It is said to be a mine laying vessel. Initially (some would recall) the bow of the ship was above water and gradually over the years the ship has slipped further underwater and now rests upright with the bow at 11m and stern deck at about 55m. It is littered with sea-fans and black coral at the deeper ends. It is also possible to see cowries, feather stars, nudibranches, camoflaged fish - scorpion fish, stonefish, pipefish - and the odd pelagic.
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Although this is not a wreck sight, it is a popular sight not only for it's sheer drop-off but also it's relevance to World War 2 history. This sheer drop off (250 meters or more) located meters from the shore line, was used in World War 2 for Japanese submarines to unload and load cargo with a quick escape plan. Straight down! It's natural sheer wall is the edge of a vast submerged caldera, with many soft and small corals growing from the wall, and barrel sponges and sea fans-whips as well. Entry here can get a bit awkward at low tide especially if you don't have your booties but once in, it is like you are falling into the abyss. A must dive.
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A drive, a walk and a bit of a swim in 30m of water, the Zero lies on grey sand facing the shore were it attempted to crash land much closer to land. It has one crack in the body just behind the cock pit, and is covered with an army of hinge-back shrimp. It is in pretty good condition, with a lot of smaller critters roaming the shell in search for food. Like many of the wrecks I dive, this also has a shallow reef to swim up which helps to complete the dive.
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The Italy Maru is a 5,859 ton freighter built in 1919 in at Kawasaki Dockyard, Kobe. It was sunk by U.S. Navy landbased aircraft on 27th December, 1942. The wreck sits in 48 meters of water with the starboard side of the vessel at 30 meters.
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The Manko Maru was a 1,502 ton refrigeration ship and cargo cargo carrier. It was build at the Yokomaha Dock Yard in 1923. It sits upright at a depth of 33 meters.
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The Yamato Maru is a cargo carrier of approximately 4,359 tons.This is a ship that I have just come across recently, and I know there hasn't been any divers on it since the 1994 volcanic eruptions. In searching for this ship, I found myself and my buddy where swimming along a flat sandy bottom when we came across a wall of steel. We knew then we had found it. There were steering wheels and axles littering the sand-covered ship. At 35m we ran out of time so we headed back to the suface following our new ascent line. I'm yet to dive it again.
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The Iwate Maru was built in 1920 by Teikoku Kesen Harima Shipbuilding Company. It came to Rabaul in 1943 as a water carrier. One of the many ships that went down in Karavia Bay. Sitting on brown sand in slightly murky water, the ship appears twisted and turned indicating the mass of bombs drop on it. Surprisingly there are still live shells (bombs) scattered around the vessel and a wok. Golden trevelly cruise past hoping to get a feed from the many schooling fish that call it home.
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