From launch in 1930, the Heian Maru was a passenger-cargo liner and converted to a submarine tender for the Sixth Fleet in 1941. At 11,616 tons, she is the largest diveable wreck in Chuuk Lagoon, lost during Operation Hailstone, being bombed and torpedoed by US Naval aircraft from Yorktown, Bunker Hill and Enterprise. The depth to seabed is 36 metres and she lays on her port side.

Some simple photos from GoPro show the two-foot letters of the ships name ‘Heian’ on the stern, the Kanji character for ‘Maru’ is directly above the E and I. Other shots of crockery, cookware, bottles, fuses and two telephones have been placed on the outside of the vessel.

Dive time 38 minutes to maximum depth 36 metres with milky 20 metres visibility and warm 30degC water temperature.