Ron Scholte's dive at Usat Liberty Wreck on Oct 28, 2011

Description

Diving holiday Bali Diving Tulamben Ship Wreck - USS Liberty Torpedoed by a Japanese submarine during World War II and further broken up by the 1963 eruption of Mt. Agung, the USAT Liberty Wreck now lies less than 50m from shore and can also be snorkeled. It starts at 4 meters depth and the deepest part goes to 28 meters. Due to its shallow depth, the Liberty is an amazing opportunity for beginners and snorkelers to explore an underwater wreck. Encrusted with coral, the USAT Liberty features visible guns, boilers, toilets, and anchor chains and hosts numerous species of fish, wonderful sea fans, and sponges. Marine life is extremely rich around and in the Bali wreck. Big potato groupers live at the wreck. Garden eels have colonized the shallow parts. A gigantic swirl of jackfish can usually be seen on top of the Liberty shipwreck. King barracudas are also often seen here along with a wealth of macro life, like frogfish, ornate ghost pipefish, and nudibranchs. Also, for the macro lover, we can find the rare pygmy seahorse here. Despite this diversity, the USAT Liberty shipwreck remains best known for the school of bumphead parrotfish that sleep inside its hull at night. It is worth diving at this site after sunset or in the very early morning when dive conditions are usually the best.