Wreck Diving
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Koh Tao, Thailand |
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For 2008, we're offering tech liveaboard trips in the South China Sea.
Running out of Singapore, these tec liveaboard trips allow 'experience-of-a-lifetime' wreck diving.
You'll get the chance to dive some stunning wrecks - both WW2 wrecks [Dutch Submarines, HMS Repulse, HMS Prince of Wales] plus dive on more recent commercial shipping wrecks [Seven Skies supertanker, Banka coastal freighter, Aur supertanker].
Details follow below: |
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Concerning diving on WW2 wrecks / war graves. . . . . .
Many lives were lost as a result of the sinking of these ships in the South China Sea.
We have the utmost repsect for the lost sailors and their families.
During our tech liveaboard trips, we do not attempt to penetrate the wrecks. In addition we do not remove artifacts.
We apply this not only to the wrecks designated as war graves [HMS Repulse, HMS Prince of Wales . . . ], but to all the wrecks which we dive on these trips.
As part of our wreck diving liveaboards, DJL Diving makes a point of laying wreaths on the wrecks, in rememberence of those lost.
In our opinion, these wrecks should never be simply left / forgotten. By diving them we gain an understanding of the magnitude of loss, much the same as visiting a war cemetetary to pay your respects. |
South China Sea Tech Liveaboard
We're running 5 day tech liveaboards out of Singapore, diving wrecks throughout the South China Sea.
The best times of year to dive these wrecks is in South-East Asia's inter-monsoon periods. That is May / June and during Autumn.
Trips depart late on Sunday night, returning to Singapore on Friday [to minimise disruption to people's working schedule].
The tech liveaboard can accommodate a maximum of ten technical divers. In addition, our staff will be aboard to help out [gas mixing, securing fixed lines to wrecks, breifing and guiding dives as required]
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Wrecks of the South China Sea
Wrecks in range of our tech liveaboard are:
 [HMS Repulse]
Bottom at about 50 metres
The HMS Repulse is an enormous 242 metre long British battlecruiser. She was built in Scotland, completed in 1916, weighing over 36,000 tonnes gross.
Following an illustrious war record, the Repulse and Prince of Wales were returning to Singapore after being involved in action further north. On 10th December 1941 the Repulse was attacked by Japanese bombers. She sank as a result torpedo damage
[HMS Prince of Wales]
Lying inverted on the seabed at 70 metres.
The HMS Prince of Wales is an enormous British King Georg V Battleship. She was built in March 1941, and stationed in Singapore. She was the flagship, paired with the HMS Repulse in a effort known as Force Z, intended to deter the Japanese.
Unfortunately she was sunk only a few months later on 10th December 1941 by a Japanese torpedo attack.
[Dutch WW2 Submarine K17]
The KXVIII submarine was part of the KXVI Class - 74 metres in length, 1045 tonnes displacement when submerged, she had a maximum diving depth of 80 metres and was capable of 17 knots on the surface. On 21st December 1941, KXVII struck a mine whilst exiting the Gulf of Siam. The submarine and all 36 hands were lost
[Seven Skies Supertanker];
Swedish supertanker, sunk on it’s maiden voyage as a result of an elecrical fire on 6/10/1969. The top of the funnel is at 22 metres, deck at 45 metres, aft superstructure intact, with a tank section blown out on the port side.
[Banka coastal freighter], sunk in the 1960’s lying upright.
[Kuatan Wreck] - Coastal freighter, lying in just 20 metres of water.
[Dutch WW2 Submarine O-16]
[Aur supertanker], enormous wreck sitting upright at 50 metres on the seabed.
[If you want to read details, check out our wreck archive, and also take a look at the report from one of our previous liveaboards at the bottom of this page] |
Obviously we can't fit all these wrecks into a 5 day trip! We usually plan for 2 dives per day - there is the opportunity to do three dives some days if you're especially keen.
We're happy to accommodate the interests of whoever is onboard, and can tailor our diving programme to fit you
As a general guide our tech liveaboard would run something like this:
| Sun |
Transfer from airport [or hotel] to liveaboard |
| Mon |
Seven Skies Supertanker
Top of funnel @ 20 metres - bottom at 60. Suitable 1st 'orientation' dives. Good chance of manta rays. |
| Tue |
Diving HMS Repulse
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| Wed |
Dive HMS Repulse or HMS Prince of Wales
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| Thur |
KXVII Submarine |
| Fri |
Local dives at Tioman [reef or shallow wreck], return to Mersing or Singapore - transfer to hotel or airport. |
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Marine Life
In addition to the wrecks, you've got a great chance of seeing some stunning marine life.
During our tech liveaboard last September, we saw whale sharks on every dive for the first two days!
Around the Seven Skies Supertanker, there's a good chance of manta rays.
Plus all the smaller stuff that you'd expect in tropical water - tropical reef fish, rays, pufferfish, pelagic species. . . .
Make sure you bring your underwater camera! |
The Liveaboard Boat
We dive from a converted tug vessel. This has been fully adapted for technical diving liveaboard expeditions.
The liveaboard can comforatably accommodate 10 technical divers. There's a spacious dive deck plus all necessary safety features - lift raft, RIB, EPIRB, emergency oxygen, first aid kit etc.
There's a diver lift at the stern to make exiting the water easier, plus a small chase boat and crane. The liveaboard is staffed by 4-5 locals - captain, deckhands, engineer and chef.
Both trimix diving and rebreathers are supported on these liveaboards. Helium and oxygen are available, plus we have a portable booster pump to support closed circuit [ccr] rebreather divers.
N.B. The smallest cylinders on the boat are 5L - if you need smaller cyliders for your rebreather you'll have to bring them with the unit.
For open circuit tech diving, there are twin sets onboard - 12L aluminium twins with central isolation manifold.
As regards stage / deco cyliders, there are a range of 5, 6, 7 & 12L aluminium cylinders.
The liveaboard isn't designed for luxury - more for tech diving functionality, and to be steady in rough sea conditions.
All food, tea, coffee and water are included in the cost of the tech liveaboard. Reasonably priced soft drinks are available. |
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Here's a summary of our South China Sea Tech Liveaboard Expedition:
Best time to dive |
May / June or mid-late September [South East Asia's inter-monsoon periods]. |
Departing from |
Singapore |
Duration |
5 days diving [Board Sunday evening, return on Friday] |
Typical depth range |
Most wrecks diveable at 50 metres. Only HMS Prince of Wales is significantly deeper [70 metres] |
Departing from |
Singapore |
Max divers |
10 per trip |
No of dives |
2 dives per day [maybe option for third some days] |
Diving facilities |
Nitrox, Trimix & CCR Rebreather supported. |
Cyliders onboard |
Twin 12L aluminium, 5,6,7 & 12L aluminium stage cyliders |
Cost |
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Oxygen |
Cheap! [Usually split equally between all divers] |
Helium |
330 Singaporean dollars per 50L cylinder, 200 bar |
Recommended Accommodation in Singapore |
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Fixed Dates for 2008
May 18th |
[Spaces Available] |
May 25th |
[FULL] |
September |
Dates TBC |
If you're interested in making a booking or need more info, just drop us an e-mail:
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E-Mail DJL |
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Or e-mail us direct using the following address:
All enquiries |
info@techdivethailand.com |
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September 25, 2007 on 8:11 pm | In
DJL Expedition Reports |
2 Comments
We’ve just returned to Koh Tao from a spectacular TEC liveaboard, visiting WW2 wrecks in the South China Sea. We laid commemorative wreaths on the HMS Repulse and Dutch Submarine KXVII, plus dived two shallow wrecks off Tioman Island, Malaysia.
Image; YC Lee passes over the HMS Repulse shipwreck, propelled by his DPV
For this dive expedition we joined Dr. Y.C. Lee & Wee Chee aboard the converted tug liveaboard ‘Mata Ikan‘ (Fish -eye). This vessel has been converted for tec diving with 10 twin sets onboard, diver lift (for easy exits), small inflatable chase boat and hydraulic crane plus lots of deck space making for an comfortable tec dive trip.
Image 1; Sunset on the South China Sea, viewed from the Mata Ikan Tec Liveaboard
Image 2; The top deck of the Mata Ikan tec dive liveaboard
Departing from Mersing, Malaysia on 19th Sep we sailed overnight to HMS Repulse, way out into the South China Sea.
Launched on 8th January 1916, HMS Repulse is an enormous 794.2 feet long British Battleship, weighing 38,300 tonnes at full load. Armed with 6 x 15 inch caliber deck guns, plus 9 x 4 inch guns and anti aircraft armament, she was paired together with the HMS Prince of Wales in a resistance effort known as force Z. Sadly both vessels were sunk during 1941 as a result of Japanese aerial attack, suffering great losses.
Image; A diver swims along the enormous HMS Repulse wreck
Our objective for this series of dives was to lay a commemorative wreath on HMS Repulse, in memory of those lost.
Image; The DJL Dive team, about to lay a wreath on the HMS Repulse. From left, William, Leona, Sunniva, Gary, Kieron, Peter & Tim.
We arrived on site early on 20th September. YC Lee filled us in with the details - her final resting place on the seabed is at a depth of around 55 metres. The HMS Repulse lies in an almost inverted position, way over on her port side. The South China Sea can suffer strong oceanic currents, plus the weather had thrown up 1 - 2 metre waves, making for tricky diving.
Image 1; William and Leona prepare for a deep wreck dive
Image 2; Kieron, Tim, Peter & Leona analyze gases, getting ready to dive the HMS Repulse
Our first dive team (Tim & Kieron) dropped down the shot line to secure our anchor line in a bomb crater above the bridge. Visibility was fantastic allowing a stunning view of HMS Repulse during descent. After securing the line, the guys made a quick survey before ascending.
Throughout the rest of the day we made three more dives, photographing the wreck, surveying both the bridge and toward the bow of HMS Repulse. On all these dives we encountered a 6 - 7 metre long whale shark during ascent, circling the wreck and anchor line, Wee Chee capturing some great photos.
Image; YC Lee gets a close encounter diving with a decent sized whale shark
Image; A diver swims along the enormous bow of the magnificent HMS Repulse
On the last dive of the day Tim, William, Leona and Kieron laid the wreath on the bridge of HMS Repulse.
Image; The wreath laid on the bridge of the Repulse by the DJL Diving team
Overnight, wave heights picked up and our anchor line broke, leaving us adrift till morning.
Early on the 20th Gary, Sunniva and Peter dropped down to re-secure our anchor line, this time on the stern of the Repulse, just below the rudder. It’s a bizarre sight seeing the enormous rudder and propeller as you approach the wreck. HMS Repulse is gigantic. The hull of the Repulse is now covered with spectacular soft corals and masses of fish life.
Throughout the 20th, our scuba dive teams stuck to 50 metre dive profiles, exploring the outside of the rear of the wreck, photographing our dives. We encountered another whale shark during our ascents - this time it was an inquisitive juvenile.
Image; Fantastic scuba diving encounter with a whale shark (& cobias) above the HMS Repulse
It came very close to our dive teams, colliding with both the ascent line, and the stern of the Mata Ikan. It seemed to be exploring and investigating it’s surroundings, much like a child. Combined with the scale of HMS Repulse this made a very special dive experience.
Image; The inquisitive juvenile whale shark breaches the surface as it comes close to the Mata Ikan tec dive liveaboard vessel.
Image; From left Kieron, William, Leona & Tim decompressing on the line after a deep wreck dive.
Throughout the night, a spectacular lightning storm blew by, but this time the anchor line remained secure.
Image; Sunset aboard the Mata Ikan scuba diving liveaboard vessel
On the morning of the 22nd Tim, William, Leona & Kieron, plus YC & Wee Chee returned to dive the bridge section, primarily to recover our shot plus photograph the wreath. Once that was done it was left to Gary, Peter & Sunnivar to free up the anchor line to the stern, before we left the HMS Repulse.
Image 1; Peter Nieuwhof poses next to one of the giant propellers on the HMS Repulse
Image 2; Gary frees up the anchor line at the end of a deep wreck dive
With Dutchman Peter Nieuwhof part of the dive team, we decided to make our next dive on the Dutch WW2 Submarine KXVII.
The KXVIII submarine was part of the KXVI Class - 74 metres in length, 1045 tonnes displacement when submerged, she had a maximum diving depth of 80 metres and was capable of 17 knots on the surface. On 21st December 1941, KXVII struck a mine whilst exiting the Gulf of Siam. The submarine and all 36 hands were lost.
Because of the five hour voyage from HMS Repulse, we only had time for one dive on the Dutch submarine. The sea state was calm, but with only two hours of daylight remaining we had to make the dive in a 2.2 knot current.
Our dive team descended down to find the shot line dragging in soft silt - we swam down the trail against the strong current for 18 minutes but the effort was rewarded, locating the KXVII submarine upright at 50 metres. She is now covered in many fishing nets, and low visibility prevented us from taking any good photographs. We laid a second commemorative wreath on the KVII, before swimming round the coning tower and ascending up to deco stop depth.
Image 1; Tim laying a wreath on the wreck of the Dutch Submarine KXVII
Image 2; The diver lift makes life easy getting out of the water in full scuba diving gear!
Overnight we sailed back to the shelter of Tioman island. On the morning of the 23rd, with a view to future dive expeditions we checked out one of YC’s BSAC Extended Range Diver training sites - two trawlers sunk in Temek Bay, Tioman island. These wooden wrecks lie on the seabed at 30 metres, linked by a line to make navigation easy. There’s lots of marine life - lionfish, stonefish, chevron barracuda and many small pufferfish. The wooden hulls are rotting away making it easy to peer inside, and the props are still intact. A perfect shallow technical diver training site.
Image; Peering inside the wooden trawler vessel, scuba diving off Tioman island, Malaysia
In summary, we’ve enjoyed some great diving on truly spectacular wreck dive sites. Diving these WW2 wrecks of the South China Sea was a truly humbling experience.
The Mata Ikan was a comfortable pleasant boat to tec dive off, and we greatly appreciated the briefings, assistance and company of Dr. YC Lee, making our dive expedition memorable.
Image; BSAC South East Asia Coach & Experienced Tec diving instructor Dr. YC Lee
Image; Tec diver Wee Chee takes a self portrait - he captured great photos of our wreck diving expedition
We look forward to returning to the South China Sea for more tec /wreck diving liveaboards aboard the Mata Ikan. The area is rich with wrecks of historical importance - not only the HMS Repulse, Dutch Submarine KXVII and trawlers which we dived on this expedition but also the following wrecks which we hope to explore in the near future;
HMS Prince of Wales; Lying inverted on the seabed at 70 metres.
Seven Skies Supertanker; Swedish supertanker, sunk on it’s maiden voyage as a result of an elecrical fire on 6/10/1969. The top of the funnel is at 22 metres, deck at 45 metres, aft superstructure intact, with a tank section blown out on the port side.
Banka coastal freighter, sunk in the 1960’s lying upright.
Kuatan Wreck - Coastal freighter, lying in just 20 metres of water.
Aur supertanker, enormous wreck sitting upright at 50 metres on the seabed.
In addition there’s another WW2 Dutch submarine (the O-16) plus many new marks to explore throughout the South China Sea.
In terms of capability, the Mata Ikan can accommodate around 10 - 12 technical divers - helium and oxygen are available onboard, so trimix / nitrox / rebreather diving is possible.
The best time to dive off the Mata Ikan is during September through till November and March - May. Sea state is calmest during these periods. Flights are available direct into Singapore where the Mata Ikan is moored.
Contact DJL Diving if you’re interested in joining one of our tec liveaboard dive expeditions. If you have a group of divers we can probably arrange a dive liveaboard schedule to suit you. We are also happy to combine technical diver training with a diving liveaboard trip.
Image; A deco stop above the HMS Repulse - Tim, Kieron, Leona & William with YC Lee above
I’d like to thank Wee Chee for contributing the fantastic photos of our wreck diving. DJL Diving Koh Tao Thailand.
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Check
out the DJL Diving Promo Movie;
See footage of Koh Tao Thailand
diving. |
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