Subic Bay · Philippines · Wreck
El Capitan (USS Majaba)
Open cargo holds from 5 m down, for any certified diver
El Capitan — the former USS Majaba, a 91 m cargo ship that ended her days laid up at Subic after the war — is Subic Bay's standard first wreck. She lies near the mouth of Ilanin Bay with her stern at about 5 m and bow at about 20 m, so any certified diver can work through the open cargo holds past resident groupers on one easy, gently sloping profile.
Also known as USS Majaba.
Where it is and how deep
14.7671° N, 120.2575° EApproximate position — the dashed circle shows where the site lies; your operator's briefing has the mooring.
The dive
The top of the wreck sits only about 5 m below the surface, so the dive starts almost as soon as you leave the boat. You drop onto the stern at around 5 m and follow the hull down its slope toward the bow at about 20 m, which turns the ship itself into your descent line — a rare wreck a newly certified diver can see almost end to end on one easy profile.
The open cargo holds are the heart of the dive. Basic swim-throughs here are available to all certified divers, no wreck card needed, and the holds have long since become habitat: groupers, some exceeding a meter in length, claim territorial sections of the ship, and eagle rays are seen around this wreck along with the USS New York and the LST. Work back up the hull toward the shallow stern and you finish the dive with a natural, gradual ascent.
The wreck
- Vessel
- El Capitan (USS Majaba)
- Type
- Cargo ship
- Length
- 91 m (299 ft)
- Built
- 1919
- Sunk
- 1946
- Cause
- Sank at her moorings in 1946 while laid up in the Subic Bay reserve fleet
- Lies
- Near the mouth of Ilanin Bay, stern at about 5 m and bow at about 20 m, the top about 5 m below the surface
Marine life and season
- Groupers
- Eagle rays
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Prime | Prime | Prime | Prime | Prime | Good | Fair | Fair | Fair | Good | Prime | Prime |
Season follows Subic Bay: November–May dry season is clearest, best February–May; the July–September monsoon cuts inner-bay visibility and cancels rough days.
Questions divers ask
Can beginners dive El Capitan?+
Yes — the wreck lies in 4–22 m with the stern at about 5 m, it is rated a beginner dive, and the basic swim-throughs through the open cargo holds are available to all certified divers.
Sources
- Subic Bay Dive Guide: WWII & US Navy Wrecks — philippinedives.com
- Olongapo (Wikivoyage) — Area wrecks list — Wikivoyage
- El Capitan (USS Majaba) — Scubago
- USS Majaba — Wikipedia
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