Diving the USAT Liberty Shipwreck, Bali Indonesia

[hydrowicz]

Have you ever wanted to take a dive through history? Before the USAT Liberty found itself sunk off the coast of Bali, she served in both WWI and WWII. Follow along with underwater photographer and dive instructor Indi Nesia as he discovers the nuances of wreck photography inside this extraordinary ship!

Diving the USAT Liberty Shipwreck, Bali Indonesia

 

[Blackcrusader]

Yup dived it many years ago. I had planned diving for 3 weeks in Bali before a little virus stopped all that my trip was cancelled just as Indonesia cancelled VOA.

Quite a rocky entry I have thick soled booties to walk over that. The dive center I wanted to dive with wants dives to be done to 40 bar or 75 minutes which ever comes first.

 

[JohnN]

While open water divers cannot penetrate the wreck

Whiskey-Tango-Foxtrot. There is no wreck to penetrate, you wonder if the author really ever was there

 

[Searcaigh]

I've dived it twice, first time back in the 90s, and about five years ago.

There's not much of a wreck to be honest as it's almost all coral growth on the wreck and beautiful to see.

There were also too many divers there the last time I dived Liberty Slope (the muck dive next door).

Something about that report though makes me think one of the models was photoshopped into the pictures as she has the same posture in each shot

 

[Searcaigh]

Just an update on this dive site from my recent trip there.

The bumphead parrotfish are gone

Two years of hardship due to Covid probably resulted in them providing a meal for a local village, who knows.

Very sad, but people have to survive!

RIP Bumphead Parrotfish

 

[RobinC.]

There are a few small penetration that i would qualify more as dive through.
The Wreck took a hard hit during the eruption of Agung and related earthquakes but it is still a highlight of a trip in Bali. Very few wreck are so decorated by corals and so easy to access !

 

[Rock Hopper]

So sad that the Bump heads are gone We used to go with Adventure Divers Bali in Amed on the dawn dive and see the Bump heads coming out of the wreck and then exploring Liberty in relative peace with a second dive and home for breakfast mid morning

 

[anchochile]

Just an update on this dive site from my recent trip there.

The bumphead parrotfish are gone

Two years of hardship due to Covid probably resulted in them providing a meal for a local village, who knows.

Very sad, but people have to survive!

RIP Bumphead Parrotfish

Oh no! That is just so sad to hear. The early morning dive with the bumpheads in late 2019 is one of my top diving memories - peaceful, still, nobody else in the water with us but those huge fish. I'd think the local dive ops would've handed out cash to locals if it would have kept people from taking the fish. One of those fish may provide a few meals but I can't imagine they were worth more than the lost revenue and tips (to operators, guides, the ladies at the beach who carry tanks, etc) from all of those early morning dives year after year that nobody will do any more.

 

[matts1w]

I talked to a very well know guide there and he seriously doubts they became somebody's breakfast. He states there have been many times in the past when the bumpheads took off for extended periods and ultimately returned to the wreck. Small town Bali is no different than any small town anywhere in the world. Everyone knows everyone's business and if those fish were harvested there would be hell to pay.

 

[Luko]

and if those fish were harvested there would be hell to pay.

Yet what happened to the ex resident jackfish school that disappeared in 2012 is still a mystery.
Some say it has moved but it seems nobody knows where.