Lagoon Wreck Site

Within Kiritimati's vast lagoon lie the remains of several WWII-era vessels sunk or abandoned during the island's use as a staging point and nuclear test observation base through the 1950s and 1960s. The main wreck cluster sits in 10 to 18 metres of calm, warm lagoon water with visibility that is moderate but comfortable, making this one of the most accessible wreck dives in the central Pacific. Steel structures draped in soft coral and encrusted with fire coral now shelter schools of glassfish, lionfish, moray eels, and a surprisingly dense population of blacktip reef sharks that cruise the sandy lagoon floor between the wreck frames. Turtles rest on the superstructure in the mornings. The calm lagoon conditions mean this site is suitable in almost any weather.