Kyokuzan Maru

KYOKUZAN MARU also known as the ‘Dimalanta Wreck’ owing to its proximity to Dimalanta Island. The wreck is 30 to 40 minutes by boat from Club Paradise. The only shipwreck Northeast of Busuanga. This Japanese cargo ship functioned as an auxiliary army supply vessel for the Japanese Navy. The story goes that the US Air Force concluded a reconnaissance of conspicuous moving coordinates of some islands. Realizing the islands were boats camouflaged as such, they bombed the whole Japanese fleet scattered all over Busuanga pretending to be islands. The Kyokuzan Maru stands upright with the hull settled at 42 meters. The deck level is at 26 to 28 meters. The wheel house is at 22 to 24 meters holds scattered China ware & exposed plumbing. No penetration here but swim through on overhead environment. The 2nd cargo hold from the stern houses a Japanese Army jeep chasis relatively intact at 31 meters depth. Advanced certification is a must for this wreck. A PADI Adventure Deep & or Wreck dive is required if one is Open Water diver. Nitrox 32 or 28 prolongs your dive time. So a Nitrox course would also be fun to conclude here. Due “to its’ length of 136 meters the wreck is a 2 dive day trip. Snorkelers can enjoy the adjacent reef.

DIMALANTA ISLAND REEF (beside Kyokuzan Maru) – has patches of hard corals particularly cabbage corals. A sloping reef macro marine life for sharped eyed divers.

DIBOYUYAN ISLAND – Divers can be happy exploring the reef that stretches to about 1.2 kilometers north to south. A sandy slope divides the middle of the reef going towards a white sand beach on the island. The fringing reef starting off at 2 meters forming a gentle slope to 20 meters is a showcase of healthy soft & hard corals where cuttlefish, lobsters, clams, wrasses, angel fish, surgeon fish, fusiliers, soldier fish call home. A number of bumphead parrot fish can be seen patrolling the area at times. About 40 meters away from the end of the reef slope formation, a separate reef system between 22 to 27 meters depth invites patrolling blacktip sharks on the hunt. They can be seen specially when the cuttlefish season begins as the waters get cold in December. An occasional manta can be seen passing by.

ROCK ISLAND – A growing island structure formed by lime stones, Rock Island is one of those natural freakish protrusions of nature. Soft & hard corals form habitats for incredible critter encounters. Commensal shrimp of different varieties abound so check out those cracks & crevices. The softer flora And fauna such as anemones and sponge corals are home to cleaner shrimps, emperor shrimps & hinged back shrimp. Porcelain crabs, decorator crabs, spider crabs all waiting for your inquisitive eyes.

Rock Island’s proximity to Club Paradise allow divers to find it’s resident green turtles scrounging around the area. Barrel sponges likewise reveal a number of critters. Huge table corals are home to Cardinal & Damsel fish, while glass fish, soldier fish and rock groupers live underneath.

The highlight of the dive is a swim thru at 3 to 5 meters depth in between a channel that separates the 2 lime stone rock formation protruding out of the water. An occasional eagle ray might make an appearance.