David Brill
If Subic Bay seems unremarkable you may be looking in the wrong place. David Brill finds that attraction lies beneath the surface.
Looking out over Subic Bay, you could be forgiven for thinking you’d booked the wrong trip. Tankers float out at sea, cranes loom over the shoreline, and litter washes up at your feet. Far from the glorious beaches of Boracay or Palawan, Subic does not at first glance appear an obvious destination for visitors to the Philippines.
A look below the water, however, tells a different story. An entire fleet of shipwrecks sits silently at the bottom of the sea, oblivious to the trivial goings-on at the surface. Anemones sprout on deck, while lionfish lurk in twisted metal crannies below. Barracudas swim down gun turrets, emerging in ghostly loading chambers long disused and overgrown with rust. Subic is a sunken goldmine – entry only for those with a diving license.
Back on land, Subic Bay was home to a US naval base until forces withdrew in 1992. The area of the base remains enclosed as the Subic Bay Freeport Zone – the shipyards making way for hotels, restaurants and casinos. International access is via Clark airport, some 2 hours drive southeast of Subic, or from Manila, a further 3 or so hours south of Clark, depending on traffic.
Some of Subic’s shipwrecks date back to the Spanish-American war of 1898, but the majority sank during the years of World War II. Twenty-five ships from Japan alone are claimed to have gone down during the war but with salvage operations undertaken in the 1950s, no one is quite sure how many wrecks remain in the bay. Best guesses suggest that there are some 20 wrecks in still waters – 10 or so of which are suitable for recreational diving.
The main attraction at Subic Bay is the USS New York. Launched in 1891, she played a key role in the Spanish-American war before returning to action in World War I as the USS Saratoga. She was eventually decommissioned in the Philippines in the 1930s and remained moored at Subic Bay until 1941, when she was deliberately scuttled by retreating US forces to prevent her from falling into the hands of the Japanese.
The navy’s loss proved to be scuba divers’ gain, as the 120-meter-long USS New York came to rest on its side with its topmost point just 17 meters from the surface. This depth leaves the top of the wreck accessible for novice divers, with the inside and lower decks offering a variety of options for those seeking more challenging, technical dives. The engine rooms lie at the very bottom of the ship and remain largely unexplored.
Visibility was mediocre during a trip in late July but the wreck is eerily impressive nonetheless. Its sheer, hulking size is enough to leave you feeling insignificant by comparison, while the sight of its three giant gun barrels emerging ominously from the gloom offers another reminder of the vast power the ship once wielded. A variety of wildlife circulates the site: dive instructors list barracuda, rays, octopi, lobsters and spotted sweetlips among the wreck’s inhabitants, although not all were seen on our trip.
Other wrecks at Subic Bay include El Capitan, a shallow site which is easily accessible for all comers. Even fairly novice divers can swim through the hold, and poke their head up into a pocket of trapped, ancient air (attempting to breathe it is strongly not advised). Also of note is the infamous Oryoku Maru – a Japanese cruise liner used for transportation of prisoners of war from Manila to Japan. Later dubbed ‘The Hell Ship’ for the nightmarish conditions in which prisoners were kept, she was bombed and sunk at Subic by US navy planes in 1944. Several other vessels are accessible – including a largely intact Japanese patrol boat – along with various sites of debris, scattered metal, and even a few coral reefs.
Beyond the diving, a few activities are available at Subic, including horse riding, watersports, go-karting and, of course, gambling. Much of the area, however, feels run-down and seedy, and considerable regeneration will likely be needed if tourists are to come in large numbers. In the meantime, however, Subic offers an enjoyable and convenient weekend for divers, especially given the proximity of the wrecks to the shore and the relative ease of transport from abroad. Don’t be fooled by the cranes and tankers – Subic Bay is to be judged on what lies below.
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