Palau · Palau · Wreck
Jake Seaplane
A coral-covered Japanese Navy seaplane visible from the surface
Area photo: 陳德範（Chen, De-Fan） · CC BY 4.0
The Jake Seaplane is a Japanese Navy Aichi E13A-1 lying just northwest of Palau Pacific Resort, close enough to the surface to be seen from the boat. The ocean has reclaimed the three-seat aircraft, and it is an easy, popular stop for divers and snorkellers alike.
Also known as Jakes Sea-Plane, Jake Sea Plane, Jake Seaplane Wreck.
Where it is and how deep
7.3692° N, 134.4485° EApproximate position — the dashed circle shows where the site lies; your operator's briefing has the mooring.
The dive
The plane sits upright on the bottom at 15 m (45 ft), its starboard wing bent down at a 30-degree angle and its engine broken off from the fuselage. Coral covers the airframe, and batfish, crocodilefish, lionfish and angelfish live around it. Visibility is usually 20–30 m (60–90 ft).
The wreck
- Vessel
- Aichi E13A-1 seaplane (Jake)
- Type
- Japanese Navy seaplane
- Length
- 11.3 m (37 ft)
- Cause
- Crashed during takeoff or landing after the engines had stopped
- Lies
- Upright in 15 m, starboard wing bent down and engine broken off
The JAKE was the Aichi E13A-1, a three-seat Japanese Navy seaplane, and this one was among the few on Palau. It apparently crashed during takeoff or landing after its engines had stopped, and it was spotted by a Palauan fisherman in 1994. The aircraft was 11.3 m long with a wingspan of 14.5 m (47.6 ft).
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 | Good | Fair | Fair | Fair | Fair | Fair | Good | Prime |
Season follows Palau: Boats run every month; November to April has the best conditions, and June to December is typhoon season.
Dive videos
Diving the 'Jake' Seaplane Palau - Feb 2017 · Leigh Morris on YouTube
Questions divers ask
Can snorkellers see the Jake Seaplane?+
Yes. The plane lies upright in 15 m and is visible from the surface, so it is a popular stop for snorkelling as well as diving.
Sources
- Jake Seaplane — Fish 'n Fins Palau
- Scuba diving in Palau — Wild Hearted
- OpenStreetMap geocoding — OpenStreetMap
- Aichi E13A1 Jake, Koror — Pacific Wrecks
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