A bomb hit to the #5 cargo hold, which was full of munitions, destroyed all of the Sankisan Maru except for it's bow area and the two forward holds.
The forward mast, shown here, breaks the surface of the lagoon.
There were eight small trucks (Toyota and Isuzu) on the deck and in the holds, which also contained stacks of ammunition, several airplane engines, and a vast assortment of glass bottles.
The crosstree on the forward mast, only 10 ft. deep, was covered with a very thick layer of corals and other reef life.
This photo shows Kimuio Aisek sitting on the crosstree, at the end of a long dive, feeding a cloud of small fish.
Text and Photos © 1999 by Bob Hampton All Rights Reserved