Within Rabaul Harbour, there are numerous Japanese naval ships that were sunk during WW II. Most of the wrecks are fairly intact. Visibility is between 5 and 15 meters with water temperatures of 30C. The dive centre runs 2 banana boats, accommodating up to 8 divers in each. On the North Coast there are coral reefs and a few more wreck dives where the visibility is between 15 and 30 meters with 30C water temperatures.
Some of the more popular dive sites in Rabaul
Italy Maru: The 5859 ton transporter was built in 1919 in the Kawasaki shipyard, Kobe. She sunk on the 27th of December 1942 and lies on her starboard side in 54 metres of water. The wreck was carrying aviation fuel and some drums still remain. There is a bomb hole in the port side by the engine room made by Harry Brutnell during his salvage attempts.
"Pete" F1M Bi-Plane: Japanese reconnaissance sea plane; know as "Pete" (the allied code name for the aircraft). This wreck is at a depth of 29 metres on a gently sloping black sand seabed, located near the northern shores of Rabaul. It sits upright on the seafloor, intact with both sets of wings, fuselage and tail fins still in place. Much of the covering is now gone from the tail wing sections however. The prop is also still there but partially buried in the sand. It has become home to all manner of sealife. Sponges and soft corals have taken hold on the wings and tail section and small fish use parts of the fuselage for refuge.
"Zero" Carrier Fighter: The Mitsubishi A6M Zero Fighter is one of the best known aeroplane wreck dives done from Rabaul and is a A6M3 Reisen aircraft, dived from Gazelle peninsula at Blanche Bay beach to the north of Simpson Harbour. The plane is extremely intact with its starboard wing still attached and its port wing, although separated from the main fuselage still lying in perfect position
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