Redondo, Palos Verdes & San Pedro · United States · Wreck · Artificial reef
Palawan
Stripped Liberty ship hull with its deck at 35 m (115 ft)
The Palawan is a 134-metre Liberty ship (441 ft) sunk in 1977 as an artificial reef about 3 km (2 miles) off Redondo Beach. She was stripped before the sinking, leaving a large hull divided into compartments that allow some penetration. The deck lies at about 35 m (115 ft) and the sand at about 38 m (125 ft), just inside recreational limits.
Also known as USS Palawan.
Where it is and how deep
33.8173° N, 118.4231° WApproximate position — the dashed circle shows where the site lies; your operator's briefing has the mooring.
The dive
The wreck lies about 3 km (2 miles) off Redondo Beach, ten minutes by boat from Kings Harbor. Her deck lies at about 35 m (115 ft) and the sand around her at about 38 m (125 ft), so the whole dive sits just inside recreational limits and no-decompression time runs out quickly at this depth.
The superstructure and engines were removed before the sinking, leaving a large hull divided into compartments, and some of them offer penetration for divers trained for it. Nudibranchs, calico bass, sand bass, crabs, lobsters and lingcod live on and around the wreck, and mola mola pass it too. The no-decompression limit is the constraint here, so divers track it closely.
The wreck
- Vessel
- USS Palawan (ARG-10)
- Type
- Liberty ship, Luzon-class repair ship
- Length
- 134 m (440 ft)
- Built
- 1944
- Sunk
- 1977
- Cause
- Intentionally sunk as an artificial reef
- Lies
- Stripped hull on sand at 38 m, deck at 35 m
USS Palawan (ARG-10) was a Luzon-class internal combustion engine repair ship that served in the United States Navy from 1945 to 1947. She was sold to the State of California Ship Reef Program on 1 November 1976 and was intentionally sunk in 1977 as an artificial reef project off Redondo Beach.
Marine life and season
- Nudibranchs
- Mola mola
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Prime | Prime | Good | Good | Good | Good | Fair | Fair | Fair | Fair | Fair | Good |
Season follows Redondo, Palos Verdes & San Pedro: The squid run at Veteran's Park, mid-December to early March, falls in the coldest water of the year; August is the warmest month at about 19 °C.
Know before you go
- Depth runs to 38 m (125 ft); no-decompression limits are short, and 28% nitrox is recommended.
- Bottom currents and low visibility can both occur on the wreck; buddy pairs stay close to the structure and each other.
- A fishing barge was anchored over the wreck for many years, so a lot of monofilament line lies around it; carry a cutting tool.
Questions divers ask
How deep is the Palawan wreck off Redondo Beach?+
The deck lies at about 35 m (115 ft) and the sand around the wreck at about 38 m (125 ft), just inside recreational limits. It is an advanced dive and 28% nitrox is recommended.
How do divers get to the Palawan wreck?+
By dive boat. The wreck lies about 3 km (2 miles) off Redondo Beach, a 10-minute motor from Kings Harbor; boats also run from Marina del Rey.
Sources
- Wreck Diving Los Angeles — Bluewater Photo
- USS Palawan — Wikipedia
- Palawan — California Wreck Divers
- NOAA ENC Direct to GIS — wreck points — NOAA Office of Coast Survey
More dive sites in Redondo, Palos Verdes & San Pedro
Wreck
Half-demolished concrete breakwater caisson at 49 m (160 ft)
Kelp forest
Thick, shallow kelp forest over rock, full of fish
Point-to-cove kelp swim from Long Point to Cobble Beach
An 1877 Harland and Wolff sailing ship lying on her side
Sand slope
Easy beach entry onto a canyon edge with a busy night community
Similar dives elsewhere
Wreck
Thunderbolt
Marathon & the Middle Keys · United States
An upright, intact mine planter with resident goliath grouper
Coast Guard cutter on her side at 40 m, in constant current
155 m (510 ft) of Navy dock landing ship, upright since 2005
Wreck
Sheridan
Clearwater, Dunedin & Tarpon Springs · United States
Goliath grouper and eagle rays around an upright, intact tug