Solomon Islands · Solomon Islands · Wreck
Kashi Maru
Masts above the surface, a three-level engine room below
Area photo: Leonard Clifford · CC BY 2.0
The Kashi Maru is a 52 m Japanese auxiliary minelayer and freighter bombed at anchor in Mbaeroko Bay, New Georgia, on 2 July 1943 while unloading fuel and vehicles. She sits upright 20 m off the shore with a slight list to port, her masts showing above the water and her deepest point at about 15 m. The holds and a three-level engine room are open, so snorkellers and divers of all levels share her.
Where it is and how deep
8.1000° S, 157.3333° EApproximate position — the dashed circle shows where the site lies; your operator's briefing has the mooring.
The dive
The Kashi Maru lies upright in shallow water, listing slightly to port, 20 m from the shoreline of Mbaeroko Bay, and the deepest part of the dive is about 15 m. That depth is the character of the site: gas lasts, the light reaches everything, and there is no reason to rush, which is why the same wreck suits snorkellers looking down from the surface and divers working through the inside of her.
Start outside. Corals have really taken root on the hull, most of all towards the stern, and with them come numerous nudibranchs and schools of fish moving over the plating. The masts rise from the deck to break the surface, and the natural light on the upper structure gives photographers plenty to work with.
Then go in. The cargo holds are open and filled with artefacts, and they are easy to reach for divers of any level. The engine room runs down through three levels: one is still lined with Japanese bathroom tiles, and the workshop keeps a large vice intact. Going deeper into the engine room is a true overhead dive, so take a torch and keep it to divers with wreck training.
The wreck
- Vessel
- Kashi Maru
- Type
- Auxiliary minelayer and merchant vessel
- Length
- 52.43 m (172 ft)
- Built
- 1940
- Sunk
- 1943
- Cause
- Bombed by USAAF B-25 Mitchells while unloading cargo at anchor
- Lies
- Upright in shallow water 20 m off the shoreline, listing slightly to port
The Kashi Maru was built in 1940 at Osaka Iron Works in Japan and served as a Japanese auxiliary minelayer and merchant vessel. On 2 July 1943 it was caught at anchor in Mbaeroko Bay while unloading fuel and vehicle cargo, and was bombed and sunk by USAAF B-25 Mitchell bombers flying with an escort of US Navy F4U Corsair fighters. The wreck later featured in "War Wrecks of the Coral Seas", an episode of the PBS Nature documentary series.
Marine life and season
- Nudibranchs
- Reef fish swarms
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fair | Fair | Fair | Good | Good | Prime | Prime | Prime | Prime | Good | Good | Fair |
Season follows Solomon Islands: April–November dry season is calmest; December–March brings cyclone risk and rougher seas.
Know before you go
- The engine room is an enclosed space over three levels: penetrate only with wreck training and a torch, and keep the exit in sight.
Dive videos
Wreck of the Japanese transport Kashi Maru - Solomon Islands · Michael Holmesby on YouTube
Questions divers ask
How deep is the Kashi Maru wreck?+
The deepest point is 15 to 17 m. She sits upright with a slight list to port 20 m from the shore, so all of her is within recreational limits and snorkellers can follow her from the surface.
Where is the Kashi Maru?+
In Mbaeroko Bay, also called Bairoko Harbour on New Georgia in the Solomon Islands. It is about a 45-minute boat ride from Munda, and the masts show above the water.
Can you go inside the Kashi Maru?+
Yes. The cargo holds are open and easy for divers of all levels. The engine room goes down three levels, with Japanese bathroom tiles and a workshop vice still in place; going deep into it is an overhead dive that needs wreck training and a torch.
How did the Kashi Maru sink?+
On 2 July 1943 she was caught at anchor unloading fuel and vehicles, and was bombed and sunk by USAAF B-25 Mitchell bombers escorted by US Navy F4U Corsair fighters.
Sources
- Kashi Maru — Wikipedia
- Diving Sites Solomon Islands — Dive The World
- Diving Solomon Islands — Dive The World
- Kashi Maru (Wreck) — Scubago / SSI MyDiveGuide
In The Logbook
- WWII wrecks you can dive, by theatreWrecks · 7 min read
- Your first wreck dive: what to expect and whereFirst dives · 6 min read
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