The Gosei Maru was built in 1937 for the Koun Kisen Y.Y. as a coastal freighter. To maximize hold-carrying capacity she had no amenities but was a work ship.
She transported coal, Zero Plane parts, torpedoes and other things between Kure, Yokosuka, Rabaul, other destinations and Truk.
She arrived in Truk on the 12th of February and got sunk by a torpedo on the 17th of February 1944. The ship sank quickly and was reported sunk by the Japanese reports the morning of the 18th.
This is the second time we are diving this wreck and at first, I am not so excited. But as we draw near the patch of turquoise water I am ready to jump in and enjoy. The wreck lies on a slopping bottom and comes up to 5 m of water. So a snorkel would be sufficient for the propeller =).
I have different agenda though and as we come down we make a quick stop at an unexploded air bomb and a torpedo and then we follow the anchor chain. It winds through the sand and then starts to climb up a small ridge. We follow it through the reef and try not to lose it as it got assimilated by the coral. Finally, we are rewarded with the sight of the anchor. For a ship that large it is surprisingly small. As big as me but probably a lot heavier.
Very pleased with this great discovery we make our way back to the Gosei Maru and make our way to hold No. 2 that has all the torpedoes in it. Plus a couple of tek divers which are enjoying the sight as well. Some of the torpedoes are in a broken-up state and the old gas chambers can be seen plus other parts of the inner life.
As we run out of time we come further up and enter the engine room. This is nice since it is so shallow but with the ship lying on her port the heavy parts also loom above us. Just thinking about their weight makes me a bit uneasy and I double check that I stay clear of the main engine block. With Captain Lance telling us that nothing much is holding them up and the last taifun having caused some damage I am weary=). The Tek divers don’t share my concerns and explore to their hearts content. Looking through some holes into the stern castle gives a great view on the steering machinery and the light is amazing. I try to take some good photos and get a bit rusty in the process. It is well worth the effort.
It was a great dive and I am happy I came back here.
Astrid, Germany
