Beneath the waves off the Brunei coastline are amazing wreck diving sites, writes Khairul Ashraf Kammed
OIL-RICH Brunei has little to offer tourists. Or so it seems. For underwater enthusiasts like myself, the waters off Brunei is home to many dive sites and many are shipwrecks filled with “treasures” and a rich history. Some of these are relics from World War II .
In his book, Top Wreck Dives of the World, author Jack Johnson lists Brunei’s shipwrecks as among must-dive places.
These are accessible all-year round as the region is not affected by monsoons.
However, the best time to dive is from March to November as the water temperatures are between 27 and 28 degrees Celsius. Other months see colder, choppier seas and reduced visibility.
As wreck diving can be challenging due to depths of more than 20m, you should be an Advanced Diver. Novices (Open Water Divers) can dive at reefs which some claim to have the same reefscape as those in the Caribbean.
This will be my first scuba dive outside Malaysia and in my group are some who have just been certified Advanced Open Water Divers by the Professional Association of Diving Instructors (Padi). It’s a great opportunity to put our skills into practice. Brunei dive operator Poni Divers handles our underwater sessions. Its homestay is conveniently less than 10 minutes’ drive away from the dive centre in Muara.
AMAZING WRECKS
Our first dive is at the Australian Wreck. Prior to this, divemaster Jamak cautions us about removing any objects from the wreck. We are told a story about a diver who fell sick after he took a bullet shell from one of the wrecks. The bullet had to be returned before he was cured by a shaman.
Whether a tall tale or the truth, we feel it’s better to heed Jamak’s advice as we will be visiting the final resting place of 339 people who were on board Imbari Maru. The ship was on its way from Singapore to Manila in 1944 when it struck a mine off the coast of Brunei.
We descend 30m in poor visibility on an eerie journey to the 85m-long steamer.
The intact hull lies on one side. Some of us scour the open upper deck and pass through large cargo holes.
My initial fears after listening to the harrowing tale earlier peel away as I begin to admire the sea creatures. The residents here are intriguing. While the lionfish is a bit elusive, seeming to prod me to chase after it, the hawkfish apparently likes its picture taken and is happy to stay still.
Both have interesting dorsal fins. Those on the lionfish look like feathers and hair, while on the threadfin hawkfish, they look like a row of miniature plants.
At Dolphin Wreck, visibility is much better, probably because we only descend 23m to reach the upper deck of the commercial vessel.
In 2013, the Sarawak-registered Dolphin 88 was approaching Lawas in bad weather when it met its fate off Pelong Rocks, 3.5 nautical miles off†Meragang†Beach.
The easily accessible deckhouse is a playground for puffer fish and groupers. It is just amazing that after just a few years, this metal carcass is teeming with sea life and functions as an ecosystem.
I also get to swim in the midst of a school of yellowtails.
We conclude the first day’s dive at Abana Pole. The reef has fan, harp and whip coral, all in amazingly good condition. There are the usual clownfish and anemones.
The next day, we visit Blue Water Wreck, the furthest site which takes about an hour to reach.
The wreck is Mabini Padre, an 80m-long Philippine trawler which sank in 1981 after a fire broke out on board. Ironically, it was believed that it sank under the weight of the water used to fight the flames.
The site was named after its location which was so far offshore in the clear “blue water”. This is the best wreck to explore in Brunei. Diving here is like being in a massive aquarium. Among the variety of inhabitants are large pelagic fishes such as barracuda and trevally.
The final wreck is called American Wreck. In its heyday, the USS Salute AM 294, the 60m-long Admirable Class minesweeper, served an escort ship and was also involved in WWII. After hitting a Japanese mine in 1945 during pre-invasion sweeps of the Brunei Bay, it now lies broken in half on a sand bottom at 30m. Rounds of ammunition can still be seen.
While visibility here is similar to the Australian Wreck, I spend time photographing nudibranches.
VALUABLE LESSON
At the last dive in Pelong Rock, I forget to wear my weight belt. I am struggling to descend, so I signal one of the divers that I’m going back to the surface.
I should have checked all my gears with my buddy before the dive.
Still, I have a really great time exploring the wrecks in Brunei; it won’t be long before I return.