SUBIC BAY'S SHIPWRECKS
USS NEW YORK
Built in 1891 and scuttled by the US Navy at the approach of the Japanese in 1941, the New York lies on its port side in 27m (85 ft) of water. This historic old warhorse still has its cannons intact and is a perfect wreck for underwater photography.
EL CAPITAN
“The El Capitan” is a US shipwreck. Not much is known about her, but the lack of damage to her hull suggests she was deliberately scuttled. The El Capitan lies on her port side in about 24m (80 ft) of water. Divers swim through 2 cargo holds and a boiler room.
LST - Landing Ship Transporter
This WWII Landing Craft used to carry trucks and tanks and was also equipped with guns on her deck. She was scuttled deliberately in 1946. The LST is in 32m (110 ft) of water and has 2 large cargo holds that divers can enter. Her bow door has recently fallen off and lies open on the bottom. Divers will see very large resident groupers, thousands of schooling fish, and even large bull sharks.
LCU
The Landing Craft Unit lies on the edge of a reef with its starboard side lower. At a depth of 5-20m (25-60 ft) and reliably good visibility, this is a great wreck dive for underwater photography.
SAN QUENTIN
The wooden gunboat San Quentin is the oldest known wreck in Subic Bay. The Spanish deliberately sank her in 1898 in a futile attempt to block the channel between Grande Island and Camayan Point against the invading Americans. The bow and stern sections of the ship are visible in 18m (60 ft) of water, along with two relatively intact boilers. Divers explore the wreck as well as coral reefs and a giant clam bed planted by the Rotary Club of Olongapo.
JAPANESE PATROL BOAT
The Patrol Boat is sitting upright at a depth of 20-35m (60-75 ft). The wreck is a great dive with plenty of marine life. A cable runs from the bow of the ship across the coral reef where divers can finish their dive in 3m (10 ft).
SEIAN MARU
This 30,000 ton Japanese cargo vessel was sunk by the American Navy in 1945. She lies on her portside at 27m (85 ft). The average dive ranges from 18m (52 ft) to 24m (75 ft). Divers swim through its cavernous holds, encountering jacks, trevallies, spotted sweetlips, coral trouts and other marine life.
ORYOKO MARU
This outboard passenger ship was carrying families as well as 1600 American prisoners of war when it was attacked by American aircraft and sunk in about 20m (60 ft) of water. Flattened by explosives for navigational reasons, this tangled artificial reef is home to shallow water marine life such as clown fish, angelfish, and lobster, with regular schools of barracuda and jack swimming overhead.