Command Ridge Wreck

Named for the Japanese command ridge overlooking the north of the island, this underwater site preserves the remains of a Japanese supply vessel sunk by Allied aircraft in 1943, resting in 12 to 28 metres on a rubble and sand slope just off the northern reef. The wreck is largely intact amidships and heavily colonised, with the superstructure supporting some of the densest soft coral growth found in Nauruan waters. Lion fish, scorpionfish, and large moray eels occupy the interior spaces, while small schools of glassfish pour through the holds in shimmering curtains. Turtle sightings are common and grey reef sharks make regular passes along the wreck's length. Because the site has never been commercially dived, penetration areas remain unlit and completely undocumented, demanding experienced wreck divers with redundant lighting.