St. Eustatius · Caribbean Netherlands · Wreck
Chien Tong
A 52 m Taiwanese trawler, top at 15 m and seabed at 27 m
Area photo: SV Zanshin · CC BY-SA 3.0
A Taiwanese long-line fishing trawler, 52 m overall, lying with her shallowest structure at 15 m and the seabed at 27 m. Golden Rock rates her an advanced dive and opens penetration to wreck-certified divers, and Scubaqua rates her one of the island's better night dives, when sea turtles come in to rest on the wreck.
Also known as Chien Tong Wreck, The Chien Tong.
Where it is and how deep
17.4861° N, 63.0062° WPublished position for this site.
The dive
The shallowest structure stands at 15 m, so the descent is short and the hull resolves early; from there the dive is a matter of how much of the drop to the 27 m seabed you want to spend. At 52 m overall she is small enough to swim end to end and come back along the other side within one dive, which puts the shape of the hull rather than any single feature at the centre of it.
Divers with a wreck certification can go inside; everyone else stays on the outside of the hull. Depth rather than gas is what limits the dive at 27 m, so the sensible profile takes the deeper structure first and finishes shallow on the 15 m top, stretching the no-stop time out before the ascent. Fix the maximum before you splash, because the two operators do not list the same one.
She is at her best after dark. Sea turtles come in to rest on the wreck at night, and Scubaqua singles her out for night diving because of it, so a night booking here is worth planning around rather than treating as a repeat of the day profile. The depth is unchanged after dark, so the same planning applies, and the turtles rather than the hull are what the dive is aimed at.
The wreck
- Vessel
- Chien Tong
- Type
- Taiwanese long-line fishing trawler
- Length
- 52 m (171 ft)
- Cause
- Not published: the operators who dive her record only that she is a sunken Taiwanese trawler
- Lies
- On the seabed at 27 m, with the shallowest part of the wreck at 15 m
Marine life and season
- Sea turtles
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Prime | Prime | Prime | Prime | Prime | Good | Good | Fair | Fair | Fair | Good | Prime |
Season follows St. Eustatius: Nov–Jun is calmest with the clearest water; Aug–Oct hurricane season regularly closes the exposed western sites.
Know before you go
- The seabed is at 27 m and the two operators list the maximum as 24 m and 27 m, so plan gas and no-stop time for the deeper of the two figures rather than the shallower one.
- Penetration is only for divers with a wreck certification; without it, stay outside the hull and work the deck and structure.
Questions divers ask
How deep is the Chien Tong?+
The top of the wreck is at 15 m and the seabed at 27 m; Golden Rock lists the maximum as 27 m and Scubaqua as 24 m, so plan for the deeper figure.
Do you need to be advanced certified for the Chien Tong?+
Golden Rock recommends an advanced certification for the 27 m depth, while Scubaqua lists her as an Open Water dive to 24 m. Going inside the hull additionally requires a wreck certification.
Is the Chien Tong good as a night dive?+
Yes. Scubaqua singles her out for night diving, when sea turtles arrive to rest on the wreck.
Sources
- Dive Sites at St. Eustatius — Golden Rock Dive Center
- St. Eustatius Dive Sites — Scubaqua
- Chien Tong - Dive Site — PADI
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