Japanese Sea Plane Near Tulagi

This is a good dive for when the conditions are too rough to dive from Tulagi in more exposed waters.

I have done this dive twice. The second time there was a 30 knot gale blowing. Not pleasant to be on a boat anywhere. However, this wreck is in the lee of a small island between Tulagi and Dolphin Island, quite close to Dolphin Island. We set off from Dolphin Island to "have a look" and see what the conditions were like. To our surprise and joy the sea was flat as a pancake. We quickly donned our gear and jumped in.


The plane is lying upright on the sand, with relatively little damage. Part of one wing has separated, but is still close by, and there is a large hole in the starboard side. This hole is a great spot to see baby fish hiding from predators. A couple of coral trout cruise in and out of the plane openings. A bright blue starfish is perched on the nose of the lane, in stark contrast to the green-grey-brown surface of the wreck.

An interesting feature is the seating of the pilot and co-pilot. The Japanese pilots must have been tiny - were they kids? One can't imagine how a grown man could fit in the small spaces between the seats and the controls.