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Located on Luzon island, northern Philippines, Subic Bay is considered the country's premier playground for sports and extreme adventures. This bay is surrounded by South China Sea's expansive blue waters, and at their base rests US and Japanese warships and aircraft wrecks from World War I and II, and diving tours are offered to visitors. Subic Bay has diving sites where these historical and spectacular wrecks wearing down underwater are seen by visitors daring to take the plunges.
The Shipwreck Dive Sites At Subic Bay
Subic Bay's wreck diving sites are named after US and Japanese warships, boats, and aircraft that sunk due to combat or adverse weather conditions.
Subic Bay Diving Sites With American Wrecks
USS New York (ACR-2)
Built in the 1890s, the USS New York-ACR-2 started operating in 1893, but today it rests on its port side 17 to 27 meters underwater. It was used in World War I and II and is considered among the coolest shipwrecks to see in Subic Bay. Still intact and visible are her 8-inch guns, four by 13-meter-long cannons, and propellors. Today USS New York-ACR-2 shipwreck hosts barracuda and the eagle ray fish species. Divers need to be at an Advanced Open Water skill level to dive and see this shipwreck.
El Capitan (USS Majaba)
The El Capitan (USS Majaba) was built in 1919 and was initially named SS Meriden, but its name was changed by the US Navy after it acquired it in 1942. After it was struck by a Japanese torpedo weapon in 1942, it was towed to Tulagi in the Solomon Islands on January 1943, where its hull was repaired. In 1946, it was towed to Subic Bay and struck off the navy ship list, and that's where a storm sunk her. Today the El Capitan (USS Majaba) shipwreck rests 4 to 22 meters underwater on Subic Bay, and divers of all skill levels can take a plunge and see it.
San Quentin Subic Wreck
This Spanish American shipwreck of a gunboat was used by the Spanish to block the channel between the Grande and Chiquita islands in 1898 from the invading American Navy. It is 12 to 16 meters underwater, and divers of all skill levels can take a plunge and see this shipwreck. Its large boilers teem with coral and marine life like the eels, nudibranch, stingrays, and fish species like sweet-lip, cuttlefish, and the giant trevally. All skill levels divers can plunge in and see the San Quentin Subic wreck, whose rudder, stern, bow, and hull are visible. Due to its shallow depth and much natural light, it's easy to see the shipwreck, which makes it popular with divers who spend an hour touring it.
Landing Craft Utility (LCU) 1466
The Landing Craft Utility shipwreck was made in the U.S. and is believed to have sunk underwater during a storm after the end of World War II, to a depth of 9 to 22 meters. Divers of all skill levels can plunge in and see this shipwreck that also hosts marine life like batfish, angelfish, lionfish, plus soft corals, sponges, and a resident turtle. In its prime, the Landing Craft Utility transported troops and small to medium vehicles right to the beach.
Arizona House Wreck
This Taiwanese trawling vessel was impounded by Philippines authorities for illegal fishing activities in local waters and was sunk 18 to 21 meters into the water. At the site of this wreck, dive training is done, and it is the perfect place for new and inexperienced divers to start diving into shipwrecks. Night diving is done here too.
USS Lanikai Ship Wreck
Constructed in 1914, the USS Lanikai was initially named MY Hermes, but when the US entered World War II, by executive order, the ship was taken by the US Navy on April 1st, 1918. After the war, the ship was taken to Manila to be returned to the original owner, who refused to take it back since it was in bad condition. It was taken to Subic Bay for repairs but sunk during a typhoon but was discovered in 2003. Today USS Lanikai is 34 to 36 meters on the sea floor. To dive at USS Lanikai Site, a Deep Diver Certification is required.
Subic Bay Diving Sites With Japanese Wrecks
Japanese Patrol Boat Wreck
Lying 18 to 24 meters deep into Subic Bay waters is the 40 meters long and 8 meters wide Japanese patrol boat wreck that sunk after being bombed by US forces in 1944. On its left starboard is a blast hole which likely caused it to sink. Divers see the boat's anchor on the lower port side, a huge winch at the bow, plus four of six initial engine cylinders.
Experts speculate the boat was a submarine chaser but initially was a deep sea fishing trawler. The 2015 earthquake extensively destroyed the Japanese patrol boat wreck and cannot be deeply penetrated during dives. It is also a habitat for the red snapper, sweet lip, and batfish species, plus soft corals. Divers to this shipwreck need an advanced open water certification.
Kyokuzan Maru Boat Wreck
Sunk at a depth of 69 meters underwater, the Kyokuzan Maru boat wreck was a 385-tonne Japanese Whale Chaser vessel turned warship. It was added to the Japanese Navy on March 2nd, 1942, but later was sunk by a US Air Force Warhawk combat jet outside Subic Bay. The waters where this boat wreck is located are used to train extreme divers who plunge deep. Radio equipment, copper wires, anchor, and windlass, are among the items visible at the Kyokuzan Maru boat wreck. Though broken into two, this boat is intact and is a habitat for grouper and jackfish species.
Other Subic Bay Wreck Sites To Visit
At Subic Bay, there also are aircraft wreck dive sites to visit, which are:
- Douglas Skyraider Wreck
- L2D “Tabby” (Japanese DC-3/C-47)
- McDonnell Douglas F-4 Phantom II
- Savage A2 (AJ-2) Bomber
Diving Tour Companies At Subic Bay
At Subic Bay, there are diving companies that offer diving lessons and equipment such as: