
Located at the northern end of Tulagi Harbour the site was once the location of the US Combat Engineers (SEEBEES) where warship repairs were carried out during WW2. As such the bay is littered with “muck“ from that era including landing craft, munitions, small cargo ships, fishing boats, aircraft parts and more.
USS Kanawa is a Fleet Oiler and Freighter 476 feet long that sunk on 7 April 1943 by Japanese aircraft. It sits upright on a sandy seafloor with the Bow at 40m and the stern at 55m.
The HMNZS Moa is a NZ Navy Minesweeper from WWII. It was sunk by Japanese aircraft on 7 April 1943 while refuelling in Tulagi Harbour with the loss of 5 crew members. Tulagi Harbour is subject to challenging visibility because of the local estuaries and mudflats.
Thought to be the aircraft flown (and ditched) by WW2 pacific air ace Lt James Swett, this aircraft lies on a sandy bottom at 42m. As is common with most aircraft, the propellor is missing and the engine cowling has fallen off. A wonderful wreck best dived at the slack tide.
This pinnacle reef rises up from the the bottom at 70+ m to within 15m of the surface. Two vertical shafts descend from the reef top to a chamber and cave exit at 36m where both predator and prey congregate in the current. Healthy, colorful, and vibrant where a single dive hardly does it justice.
PBY Catalina Seaplane is lying upright on the side of the reef with the cockpit at 26m and the tail at 33m. Intact apart form the engines have now fallen off and lie on the seafloor beside the wreck. Munitions and machine guns remain in place.
The Azumasan lies about 150m from shore but is best dived from a boat. She sits upright in 39-50m at bow and 80m plus at the stern, and has lots of colour and soft corals and good photo opportunities (check the bow looking back to the wreck from the sand).
Great Wall down to 50m along the northern side of the island. Great structure and current to drift with as you search both the wall and the blue for wildlife.