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Four orange anemonefish with a white head stripe nestled among the pale tentacles of a rust-red anemone — Rabaul & Simpson Harbour

Rabaul & Simpson Harbour · Papua New Guinea · Wreck

Atun Wreck

A whole fishing boat sitting upright with its mast still standing

Area photo: Barry Peters from Greer, SC · CC BY 2.0

The Atun is an intact fishing vessel scuttled in 1983 by the Rabaul Dive Club near Little Pigeon Island, on the eastern approaches to Blanche Bay. It sits on its keel at around 20 m, one of the more accessible wrecks around Rabaul, and the often excellent visibility suits wide-angle photography.

Also known as Atun.

Where it is and how deep

Depth profile of Atun Wreck: typical dive to 21 m (to 70 ft) 18 m · Open Water30 m · Advanced40 m · Recreational limit21 mtypical dive
Depths on a shared scale to 40 m (130 ft); dashed lines mark common certification limits.

4.2690° S, 152.3457° EApproximate position — the dashed circle shows where the site lies; your operator's briefing has the mooring.

The dive

The wreck rests on its keel on a ledge at 21 m beside Little Pigeon Island. The fishing boat is whole and intact, with its mast still standing above the deck. Visibility here is often excellent, which makes it a strong dive for wide-angle photography.

The wreck

Vessel
Atun
Type
Fishing vessel
Sunk
1983
Cause
Prepared and scuttled by the Rabaul Dive Club
Lies
On its keel on a ledge in 21 m near Little Pigeon Island

Marine life and season

The sources we used don't single out particular species here.

Month-by-month season rating for Atun Wreck
JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
FairFairFairGoodPrimePrimePrimePrimePrimePrimeGoodFair

Season follows Rabaul & Simpson Harbour: May to October is the best stretch; December to March is the wettest, though only marginally wetter than the rest of the year.

Dive videos

Atun Wreck dive 2 PNG. 'Where?' Going on an Adventure · Where going on an Adventure! on YouTube

Questions divers ask

What certification does the Atun wreck at Rabaul need?+

The Atun sits on a ledge at 21 m, deeper than Open Water training covers, so Advanced Open Water is the usual requirement.

Sources

  1. Diving Rabaul’s Wrecks, Reefs and Jetties — Indopacificimages
  2. Rabaul, New Ireland & New Hanover diving — Zublu
  3. OpenStreetMap — OpenStreetMap

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