Truk Lagoon is centered within Chuuk State of the Fed States of Micronesia and is famous for its giant oceanic lake surrounded by a huge barrier reef and islands. The lagoon is the final resting place for more than 100 ships, planes and a submarine – the legacy of a fierce World War II battle between Imperial Japanese forces and Allied carrier planes. Most sunken contents remain close to original form after sinking due weather protection, and declaration as an underwater museum, totally banning artifact removals. The Allied ‘Operation Hailstone’ in February 1944, and two more attacks of April and June ‘44 left the lagoon floor littered with Japanese cargo and armed military ships. Decades later, they have become natural reefs, draped with sparkling corals, serving as fish havens, with most wartime artifacts still aboard. They are fascinating to visit and accessible to most reasonably experienced divers with vast arrays of tropic fish and invertebrates, This location is unsurpassed for quantities of sport dive accessible wreckage closely adjacent to high islands with warm relatively clear waters for snorkeling and swimming. Various onshore ruins are still visible as relics of the past conflict, being one of greatest losses in naval history. Ship cargoes of tanks, trucks, airplanes, mines, torpedoes, bombs, machine gun bullets and thousands of other artifacts are combined with beautifully decorated china dishware.

All divers are required to have completed a minimum entry-level diving course, and training past that level is required for diving beyond limits of an entry-level diver. Additional training is available through on-board Master Instructor(s).

Orientation Mornings Mornings begin with fresh coffee, hot tea and fresh morning baking at main guest lounge for early risers as a prelude to breakfast. A Full American breakfast menu is served at ship’s ‘D’ deck dining lounge by 7:00 AM. After a pre-dive lounge briefing, first dives are underway by 8:00 AM Daily Dives Lounge briefings precede each dive selection starting with 8:00 AM departures from ship. Schedules are selected as desired by each dive group, or as posted to an early morning selection by your personal guides. Condensed excerpts and wreck sketches of daily dive selections are laid out for guest reading each morning. An average 10 minute launch ride precedes securing to nearby dive sites, where launch staff will assist in final dive preps prior to water entries. Cameras and lights are passed over when ready, followed by descent with guide and others down mooring line to selected shipwreck or reef site. Your dive guide will provide a brief dive plan before commencing each dive. Much of Truk’s wartime fleet and armaments are surrounded with beautiful corals and brightly colored fish of intriguing variations in consistently warm water viz of 30-100ft (10-35m). Ocean reef dives present gin clear views of virgin wall life beyond most visitor’s dreams. Your guide will lead to each site’s best interests, or follow divers wishing to find their own discoveries. A dive compass is recommended to maintain directions on many of the larger structures. Penetrations into fragile wrecks is permitted on a buddy basis, preferably with our experienced guides. Internal wreck dive procedures and navigation are seriously regarded for safety considerations. Single cylinder air divers are advised to begin ascending a mooring line from depth with 1,000 psi or 70 bar remaining, to permit a 3 plateau rise. Stops are requested at 18m for 2 minutes, then at 9m for 3 minutes, and a final 10 minutes between 4 to 5m before rising to boat stairway. Stop times can be extended, but please not shortened. A safety air-filled cylinder is suspended at 6 meters for possible emergency, and is brought down to wreck sites below 45m for contingency use at depth, if needed. Nitrox for shallower depths is provided to suitably certified users. On surfacing to aft boarding stairs of launch, cameras, lights, and fins are passed up to waiting hands prior to mounting them. Fresh water showers, dry towels and cool drinking water are immediately available prior to return ride to ship. Boat crews are ready to rinse and stow dive equipment and photo gear without need for guest assistance. Warm water deck showers at both sides of ship arrival points serve to freshen up before proceeding to inner or upper quarters. Snacks and refreshments await at guest lounge or aft deck spa during relaxing surface breaks between a scheduled 4 daily dives, and after evening night dives. Surface Breaks Wide selections of DVD films/movies are available from a central library for viewing at main lounge’s 50” LED TV, or at smaller sets in each guest room. Underwater photos/videos can be viewed at these sets also. A ship’s store/boatique offers many items of interest in books, handicrafts, postcards and T shirts. Reading libraries in various languages and topics are located in main lounge, dining room, and at ship’s office. Spacious sun decks and lounging chairs provide tanning locations, or shade under awnings to read a book and enjoy refreshments. After dark, often brilliant night skies can be viewed by star gazers sitting out or laying back on upper deck lounge chairs. Deck towels are readied at camera table racks for use as desired. Night Dive After supper night dives complete a choice of 5 dives/day, and are offered every evening that conditions permit… only requiring one diver or more to enjoy vivid corals and nocturnal aqua life on many sites. Island Visits Visits to islands adjacent to ship moorage for views of a basic tropic lifestyle and various ruins left from a past Japanese era are freely available on request. Departures For late afternoon departing flights, guests complete personal packing and shipboard formalities followed by midday departing farewells for transfers back to Weno , Chuuk’s main commercial island in suitable time for airport check-ins and flight off to other worlds