Andrew Marriott describes the extreme contrasts of beauty and violence, adrenaline rush and tranquility that prevail in this haunting location.
CHUUK IS A DESTINATION with multiple personalities. On the one hand, very few people have ever heard of it. On the other, it is world famous amongst wreck divers. But even these hardy souls are not always sure what to call it: Chuuk or Truk? Dives can be deep, dark, dangerous and dramatic; then suddenly, in an instant, morph into spectacular colour and dazzling life. One minute one can be surrounded by the bones of sailors who died in violent battle, and moments later be gazing at beautiful, healthy soft corals in a kaleidoscope of colours while surrounded by thousands of fish.
This group of small islands is properly called Chuuk State, part of the Federated States of Micronesia. Located in the central Pacific just north of the equator, Chuuk is part of the Caroline Islands. When checking in to travel here, the airport clerk will likely have no idea where you are going when you say “Chuuk”. Just tell them to draw a line from Sydney to Tokyo and stop almost bang in the middle. The islands and country may be called Chuuk today, but they were made famous by the name Truk. Today Truk is used in reference to the actual lagoon where the famous wrecks are resting, so you travel to Chuuk to dive Truk Lagoon.
This story is from the Issue 06 - 2016 edition of Scuba Diver.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber ? Sign In
This story is from the Issue 06 - 2016 edition of Scuba Diver.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber? Sign In
The Making Of A World Record-Breaking Diver
Descending more than 300 metres into the depths of the ocean may sound like a daunting prospect to even the most seasoned diver. But to one man, it was just another a challenge that he set for himself to see how far he was able to push the envelope.
Risk Mitigation: Hose Failure
An unexpected outcome
Top 10 Wrecks Of Asia-Pacific
We present a curated list of the top 10 most famous wrecks found in the Asia-Pacific region, listed in no particular order
From The Medical Line: Diving After DCS
DAN medical information specaialists and researchers answer your dive medicine questions
Cave Exploration: Beginning With The End In Mind
Building complex adventures on simple skills
Dive Slate: Stay Safe On Board
When preparing for a dive, safety is at the top of the list – checking gear, learning potential site hazards and discussing procedures with your divemaster or buddy.
101 Tips On Becoming A Better Tek Diver
Technical diving takes divers beyond the typical recreational scuba diving limits, opening up many new and exciting possibilities.
TECHNICAL DIVING TIMELINE (1660–1999)
It’s fair to say that the emergence of “technical diving” in the late 1980s, that is, the introduction of mixed gas technology, and later mixed gas rebreathers to the sport diving community, represented the culmination of hundreds of years of scientific discovery and technological development.
FLYING AFTER DIVING
From the Safety Stop
DIAGNOSING DECOMPRESSION ILLNESS
Incident Insight
