Brandi Mueller: Chuuk Wrecks and Reefs
I love wreck diving. But I love reef diving too. I have had the amazing opportunity to spend a considerable amount of time diving the WWII wrecks of Truk Lagoon (Chuuk, Micronesia), where everyone goes to just dive the wrecks. One would be silly not to since there are over 40 ships as well as airplanes and even a submarine that are mostly accessible to recreational divers. Making the wrecks even more of a divers dream (and underwater photographers dream) is that the wrecks were mostly not salvaged and much of what was on the ships when they sank is still on them. In my mind they have become an underwater museum of artefacts from almost 75 years ago. Beyond artillery, tanks, and ammunition of every shape and size; you find the soles of shoes, trumpets, the remains of a bicycle, and many other personal affects that remind you of the vast sacrifices of those in WWII. The ocean has decorated the wrecks with wreaths of soft coral, colorful sponges, and schools of glittering fish.
The diveable wrecks are all within the lagoon and I always wondered about the barrier reef of about 140 miles that surrounds the lagoon. The nearby islands of Palau and Yap are known for their amazing marine life, and I always thought Chuuk must have amazing reefs too. Recently I was lucky to be a part on a trip exploring the outer reef on the Truk Odyssey. We dived walls and passes that are rarely, if ever, visited by scuba divers. There were sea fans and black corals, carpet anemones, large patches of hard corals…and sharks. Lots and lots of sharks. Inside one pass we found a manta feeding and on another dive an eagle ray swam right over us. A week wasn’t long enough and we didn’t even make it half way around the barrier reef. So much more to explore….
View more of Brandi’s work here.
Crinoids and anthias on the reef.
Grey Reef shark on a wall dive on the outer Reef of Chuuk with a sea fan.
Anemone on the Shinkoku Maru wreck in Chuuk (Truk Lagoon).
A hawksbill turtle swims over a medical kit and other artifacts found inside the Shinkoku Maru.
A zebra shark (commonly called a leopard shark) and two remoras in the sand in front of the Shinkoku Maru.
Silver tip shark on the outer reef of Chuuk.
Soft corals draping part of the Shinkoku Maru.
Grey Reef shark on the reef with soft corals behind on the reef of Chuuk, Micronesia.
Spotted eagle ray on the reef of Chuuk. We also commonly see them on the wrecks inside the lagoon too.
A mess of anthias around a coral head on Chuuk's reef.
Grey reef shark behind sea whip coral (Ellisella sp.) on the outer reef, Chuuk, FSM
Sea fans and coral have decorated beams over a cargo hold on the Yamagiri Maru.
School of fusiliers on a wall dive on the outer reef of Chuuk.
Binoculars on a torpedo in a hold of the San Francisco Maru around 180ft.
Beer bottles in a hold of the Nippo Maru.
The Seiko Maru, one of many Japanese ships sank during WWII's Operation Hailstone in 1944.
The steering station on the Momokawa Maru.
A lantern on the Momokawa Maru.