One of the few true warships among the Coron wrecks, was the Akitsushima, a Japanese flying boat tender attacked and sunk in Coron Bay on 24 September 1944 by US Task Force 38.

The flying boat Kawanishi H8K1 "Emily" was never found. The Akitsushima, 118m (389ft) long, 4,650 gross tons, lies on its port side pointing 290 degrees (compass bearing) in 36m (119ft) of water, with the starboard side hull at 22m (72ft). The arm of the stern crane, used to load and unload the seaplane, lies broken to port in 36m (119ft). The main deck is split between this crane and the funnel.

This is an advanced dive due to the depth The ship can be penetrated with care and is a fantastic wreck dive. The engine room is especially interesting. This wreck is also s decent dive for fish life. Large groupers lurk in the hull and shoals of barracuda, tuna and snapper are found along side the wreck.

This is a great dive for Nitrox 32. Nitrox allows you to do profiles that are not practical with regular air.

IRAKO

Refrigerated provision ship of the Imperial Japanese Navy Fleet.

Attacked and sunk on the 24th September 1944 in Coron Bay, Palawan by US Task Force 38

The Irako is 147m (485ft) long, 9,570 gross tons, the wreck is almost upright, listing about 10 degrees to port in 45m (148ft) of water pointing 260 degrees (compass bearing).

The main deck is at 34m (112ft). This is one of Coron's best wreck dives but penetration represents an advanced dive due to the depth. There are many penetration options for the experienced diver. The superstructure is also interesting, with soft corals and sponges. Large groupers hover inside the wreck, while lionfish, scorpionfish, shoals of barracuda, batfish and snappers are outside.

Get extra NDL time with Nitrox 28. If you are not yet certified for Nitrox, ask us to assist you.

KOGYO MARU

Navy auxiliary supply ship (AK), Jap. "Yuso-sen"

Attacked and sunk in Coron Bay, Palawan on the 24 September 1944 by US Task Force 38

The origin of this cargo vessel is not known, probably built in Europe, captured and used by the Japanese Fleet. This freighter was sunk on 24 September 1944 by US aircraft, the wreck - 129m (425ft) long, 6,352 gross tons - lies on its starboard side pointing 230 degrees (compass bearing) in 36m (119ft) of water. The port-side hull is at 22m (72ft). A bulldozer and a cement mixer with about 1000 cement bags lies in one of the cargo holds at 30m (99ft) depth. In another cargo other construction supplies remain.

The Kogyo Maru is well covered with good corals, particularly very large lettuce corals, shoals of fish including fusiliers, snappers and batfish, plus the lionfish and scorpionfish.

A great site for the use of Nitrox 32.

OKIKAWA MARU

AKA TAIEI MARU

An Oil tanker of the Imperial Japanese Navy.

Attacked on 24 September 1944 by US Task Force 38 and sunk on 9 October 1944 in Coron Bay, Palawan.

The Okikawa Maru is, 160 m (528ft) long and have 10,045 gross tons. It sits almost level, with a slight list to port, pointing 330 degrees (compass bearing), with the bow broken off in 26m (86ft) of water. The main deck is at 16m (53ft). A good wreck for penetration and wreck diving courses, the Okikawa Maru has everything. It is well covered with good corals, particularly very large lettuce corals, sponges and shoals of fish including fusiliers, snappers and batfish, plus the ubiquitous lionfish and scorpionfish.

MORAZAN MARU

AKA OLYMPIA MARU

The definitive name of this wreck remains a mystery to this day but it's a Japanese freighter 112 meters long, lying on its starboard side in Coron Bay. This is a beautiful wreck dive site where you can observe groupers, sweetlips, and many "Nemos". Hard corals cover the port side, which is only 12 to 16 meters below the surface. Many scorpion fish hang out around the wreck area. Keep your eyes open and stay neutrally buoyant!

TANGAT WRECK

Attacked and sunk in Coron Bay on 24 September 1944 by US Task Force 38

A Japanese Freighter sitting upright in approximately 30 meters of water and located very close to Tangat Island in Coron Bay. The Tangat wreck is 122 meters long and almost 17 meters wide, displacing 5612 tons. The ship was originally powered by a steam engine but during 2 June to 2 August 1930, an oil two stroke six cylinder engine producing 582hp was installed. The ship was built for Mitsubishi Shoji Kaisha Ltd but was requisitioned by the Japanese Defense Forces during the War. It was still owned by Mitsubishi Shoji Kaisha Ltd. until it sunk. A very good dive spot with a variety of marine life. Large shoals of banana fish, giant bat fish and giant puffer fish, especially around the mast, bow and stern. There are also specimen crocodile fish and scorpion fish so be careful where you put your hands. Easy penetration at the cargo rooms. It offers a good opportunity to discover wreck diving.

KYOKUZAN MARU

Japanese freighter approximately 160-180 meters long.

Location: Northeast of Busuanga Island. Due to it's distance from Coron this wreck is reached via a combination of a jeepney ride to the north end of Busuanga and a rented dive boat. This is done as an all-day trip for two dives on the Kyokuzan Maru.

This is a beautiful wreck dive experience. More or less intact, this huge sunken ship usually offers good visibility of about 20 meters and ideal diving conditions. Japanese staff cars and trucks can be found in the cargo rooms.

BARRACUDA LAKE

Barracuda lake, located on Coron Island, is a reverse thermal lake, the water temperature at surface, is 28 Celsius (80 F). The temperature stays constant to approximately 14 meters at which point a very visible thermocline  separates the "cool" upper water from the 40 degree [104 F] water below. The deeper one penetrates, the hotter the water becomes. Normally, the hot water should rise, but in the case of Barracuda Lake, the lower water contains considerable limestone salts, which create heat. The scenery in the lake is spectacular, both above water and below surface. If you are lucky, you will see one of the barracudas that make their home in the lake. Barracuda Lake is one of the most beautiful and strangest dives you will ever make.

CATHEDRAL CAVE

A cavern under Coron Island, Palawan directly connected to the sea. Location: South end of Coron Island on the East side.

Cathedral Cave is a beautiful dive spot. It starts 6 meters deep at a hole in the bottom of the sea next to the sheer rock wall of Coron Island. You enter a tunnel and descend to 12 meters. If you take the time to look, you see the antenna of juvenile lobsters waving from holes in the tunnel above and out from under the rocks below and cowry shells clinging to the ceiling of the tunnel. Then you pass out of the tunnel and see a shaft of daylight penetrates the interior of a cave. The roof of the cave has collapsed sending down a full sized tree. The skeletal trunk and main branches of the tree rest on top of the sand mound in the middle of the cave. You follow the light and surface inside a big underground cathedral. You pass over the sand dune and continue ahead and left to another passage that leads to a chamber with an air pocket above ocean level. Back through the tunnel into the open sea and you dive among corals with 15 to 20 meter visibility.