USS Emmons in Okinawa Japan, shipwreck

[Katamuki]

There are several boats that run out from Kouri which are no more than center console fishing boats and no support services. The best boat which is lightyears ahead of any other is Chuck DeCesari's boat. It is 13 meters or so, has O2 on board and he hangs 50% at 6meters on a hang bar with 3 2nd stages for deco if necessary. He also is the guy who maintains all of the bouys on the Emmons and is also the guy who keeps cutting all the fishing anchors and lines which are tearing up the rails and guns on the Emmons. To top it off he is a Tech Instructor here and if more than capable of adjusting to dive profiles and is not bothered by doubles or rebreathers.

What he wont do is let you bring back trophies. I have been photographing the Emmons for awhile now for the Survivors Assoc. and in the course of the time I have been doing this I am seeing artifacts removed and moved on the Emmons. This is done sadly even though it is a ship still on the US Navy lists, a listed grave site for both Americans and Japanese, and a common cultureral heritage site for the Americans and Japanese.

This is all 300 feet of her or so:

At one time this 20mm had a barrel and a rope tied onto it from a fishing vessel doubling as a dive boat ripped it off about 2 years ago. We still pull anchors off monthly despite the fact that there are 3 permanent mooring buoys on the ship to use.

 

[Katamuki]

Probably no pieces were it sunk as it drifted after being hit. I guess there are lots of small pieces all over the place that now have turned into small rusty stones. The ship is beautiful though. We have dived it several times and are absolutely going back. Just make sure you get proper training and use appropriate gases for diving it, as it is well beyond recreational limits. I am surprised recreational shops take the risk diving it as they may not even be insured on this kind of diving, and also break their agency standards.

Safe diving,

Actually, we are looking at something we have yet to identify which might be from a plane. Unfortunately, if it is what it looks like its an unexploded bomb or torpedo which has partially penetrated into the ship. Sometimes it takes a lot of research to find out what something on the ship is so this might take a while.

 

[iflylow]

great pics!

I'm always amazed at some diver operators lack of foresight when they dive unique locations. Dropping anchors when buoys are available, for example, solves "today's problem" of getting on the dive site, but installing a buoy and then using it keeps the site intact over the long term.

I'm always saddened by seeing the dive boats in the Keramas destroying coral on each dive by letting anchors drag over the reef...

 

[mongodives]

Katamuki, did you ever get that poster made of the USS Emmons? If so you selling them?

 

[nori1841]

That is a great shot Nori. Next time we meet you'll have to tell more about the trip (its high on my list of must dives)

Happy new year!

Hi Mushroom,

A happy new year to you and all of SB colleagues.

It is very attractive shipwreck. I am posting more pics here.

 

[Katamuki]

Katamuki, did you ever get that poster made of the USS Emmons? If so you selling them?

No. I just never took the time...yet!

 

[Tat2_Diver]

The USS Emmons current location is not where the survivors of the wreck re-account the ship sinking at. The common accepted re-discover of the Emmons was do to typhoons and other currents over the years. I do agree with TJO on the fact that the training should be obtained before diving the wreck.

 

[jan-japan]

Yes I agree, I think you should be an experienced diver to diver there but you don't have to drop deeper on purpose than your recreational agency standards permit you. I have a dive plan using AIR since no access to Nitrox for the general no military public going down to 37m on two dives which is the top of the wreck, once for 13minutes and once for 11minutes having a bottom time of 13 minutes and 11 minutes with a surface interval of 2:10h. Of course I know that it would be nice to stay longer if you have access to other gases such as Nitrox, but this way I can show the general diver who shows a basic dive skill the wreck. Of course we don't accent with 18m/60feet a minute and do a few safety stops not only a 5m/15feet.

 

[Tat2_Diver]

I normally dive this with EAN -26%-27% and then the second dive on Kori-jimi island using air. There are other gases available but they require training and experience so for now I will stick with my Nitrox.

 

[korn]

my father was on this ship when it sank.