Coron · Philippines · Wreck
Teru Kaze Maru
Bow at 4 m, slanting to 20 m, small enough to dive whole
Area photo: Ray in Manila · CC BY 2.0
A 35 m Japanese submarine hunter sunk east of Sangat Island during the US air raid of 24 September 1944. Her bow starts at 4 m and the hull slants down to 20 m, which makes her the one wreck in Coron Bay, apart from the half-surfaced Lusong Gunboat, that a newly certified diver can dive from end to end.
Also known as Terukaze Maru.
Where it is and how deep
11.9741° N, 120.0793° EApproximate position — the dashed circle shows where the site lies; your operator's briefing has the mooring.
The dive
The bow starts at 4 m and the ship continues down on a slant to a maximum depth of 20 m, so the dive is a straightforward run along a hull that gets steadily deeper. At 35 m long she is small by Coron standards, where some of the wrecks are over 100 m, and one dive covers her comfortably: she is the wreck in this bay published as suitable for beginners, at 5 to 20 m.
She is relatively intact and there are a few small holds that can be penetrated, though small is the operative word: these are tight spaces inside a 35 m hull, and they are for divers with wreck training and a light rather than something to try on the way past. Most divers work the outside of the hull, then finish over the bow, where the shallow depth means the last part of the dive doubles as the safety stop.
The wreck
- Vessel
- Teru Kaze Maru
- Type
- Japanese submarine hunter
- Length
- 35 m (115 ft)
- Sunk
- 1944
- Cause
- Sunk during a US air raid east of Sangat Island
- Lies
- On a slant, bow at 4 m sloping to 20 m
Marine life and season
The sources we used don't single out particular species here.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Prime | Prime | Prime | Prime | Fair | Fair | Fair | Fair | Fair | Fair | Fair | Prime |
Season follows Coron: Dry December to April brings glassy seas and the best visibility; in the wet months bad weather sometimes stops diving.
Know before you go
- The holds are small and tight, so penetration here is for wreck-trained divers with a light rather than a casual look inside.
Questions divers ask
Is the Teru Kaze Maru suitable for beginners?+
Yes. The bow starts at 4 m and the hull slants down to 20 m, a range published as suitable for beginners, and at 35 m long the whole wreck fits into one dive. The few small holds inside are the exception and need wreck training.
Sources
- Teru Kaze Maru — Scubago
- Coron Bay — Wikipedia
More dive sites in Coron
Wreck
A 35-ton seaplane crane on a warship lying on her side at 35 m
Fresh water over salt, and 38 degrees below the thermocline
Reef
A channel drift at 1 to 3 knots between two wrecks
Cave & cavern
A fallen tree lit by daylight inside a cavern under Coron Island
Coral garden
Very large sea fans among soft-coral gardens
A 35 m gunboat in 3 to 19 m, open to any certification
Wreck
A 145 m provisions ship with its deck areas at 28 to 35 m
Wreck
A bulldozer and cement bags still in the cargo holds
Similar dives elsewhere
A whole fishing boat sitting upright with its mast still standing
Wreck
B25 Bomber
Madang & the North Coast · Papua New Guinea
Machine guns still in the nose, midships and tail of a 1943 bomber
Old bicycles under coral on a pontoon that sank in 2003
Wreck
Dolphin 88
Labuan & Brunei Wrecks · Brunei
Dolphin 88: a stone barge sunk off Pelong Rocks in 2013, top at 10 m, back half at 24 m