Feb 25 Dives 2 and 3

Our second dive of the morning was the RIO DE JANIERO, a 463' long, 9,626 ton Naval Transport ship also used as a Sub-tender. It rests on its starboard side and its depth ranges from 40'-80' under the surface with additional depths of 90+' to the sand.

We entered the water at 11:51am and stayed down for 42 minutes reaching a maximum depth of 92'.

Photos:
1) Our first sight upon descent was one of the huge propellers at the stern of the boat.
2) As we dropped down further we saw some bottles neatly displayed on a cross beam as if a signal to take a look.
3) We entered a huge hole in the port side of the boat which lead to a cargo hold and found box after box of empty beer bottles.
4) I captured a shot of Jerry coming in to take a closer look.
5) We swam forward and Namy pointed out the name of the ship still visible on the bow.
















Our dive ended at 12:33 and we headed back to the resort for a quick cold shower and lunch.

Photos:
1) Coming out of the water
2) Namy pointing Awora to our "slip"
3) Poling to get the right spot











The afternoon dive that Namy had chosen for us was close to the resort and in not too deep water. We had had two pretty deep dives that morning so a shallow one was in order.

We dove on one of the few downed aircraft still intact in the Lagoon, a twin-engine Japanese Mitsubishi "Betty" Bomber which crashed just short of the airfield on Eten Island. In April of 1943, Admiral Yamamoto was flying in a "Betty" Bomber (not this one) just as the Truk communications center transmitted a coded message giving his schedule. The signal was picked up and decoded by the US Navy and an ambush was planned. The Japanese planes were attached by American P-38 fighters and Yamamoto was shot dead in his seat.

The bomber engines had fallen off about 75' from where the rest of the plane ultimately settled. It was an eery sight resting at 65' beneath the surface.
The plane is very much intact but since it is too small to swim through, a lot of the equipment and cargo was removed and placed around the body of the plane on the sand for better viewing.

Photos:
1) Betty asleep in the deep
2) One of her engines
3) A school of fish that claim her.
4) The pilot's seat
5) Other pieces of equipment
6) Checking out the cockpit





















We were back at the resort at a decent time and had an opportunity to take some random photos of the grounds. At one particular point along the water front are remaining Japanese bunkers built as a defense against amphibious invasion. They are still in very good shape.