The Beauty of USAT Liberty Ship Wreck in Tulamben

Hello divers, you can talk about the beautiful ship wreck in various parts of Indonesia. For example in the Pulau Seribu (Jakarta), the Galangal Island (Billiton), or Mansinam Island (Manokwari). But the wreck in Tulamben, Bali, is also interesting.

What's so amazing? Wreck on Tulamben waters have been so different alias overgrown with colorful corals. And including other marine life that live among the ruins of an old iron ship.

There are three advantages in Tulamben dive spot. First, the distance is not too far away to the beach, only about 15 meters. Second, the current is not too heavy, making it easier for divers to move and go into the wreck. Third, the divers could feed the fish in the sea floor, but it is against the rule of conservation.

The Liberty ship wreck is the most visited diving site of Bali at a perfect depth for scuba diving ranging from 2.5 meters down to 29 meters. There are a couple of impressive swim throughs, but one must be cautious because the structure of the wreck is unstable, every year parts collapse. An amazing growth of encrusting animals cover the wreck, marine biologists estimate that about 400 different species of reef fish live on the Liberty. It is not usual for this site to be visited by big pelagic species.

To go to Tulamben it took two hours if you bring your own car from Sanur area or within about 100 kilometers from Denpasar. If you want to dive, do not bother carrying diving equipment. Available at Tulamben diving equipment ranging from snorkel, mask, fins, BCD, regulator, wet suit up. There is also the professional guide or dive master. Simply pay Rp 600.000 (U.S $60) for them.

SS Liberty Glo was built at American International Shipbuilding at Hog Island in Philadelphia during World War I, but was completed after the November 1918 armistice. While off the Dutch coast in December 1919, she struck a mine which broke her in two, but the after part of the vessel remained afloat and was repaired. She served as a civilian cargo ship during World War II and was scrapped in 1950 in Baltimore.

Some crew members rescued by the Dutch destroyers, HNLMS Van Ghent. But the fateful, this "iron floating" could not be brought to Singaraja and eventually sank in the waters of Tulamben until now. USAT Liberty Glo was originally located only in the depth of 8 meters, but when Mount Agung erupted in 1963, the ship moved to a depth of 35 meters above sea level.