American Tanker
Depth: 40 – 120 feet
Follow the mooring line down and you will see the impending shape of the tanker. It is important to follow the line to the tanker, there have been several divers who were unable to locate the American Tanker due to the limited visibility in Apra Harbor.
The American Tank rests in about 120 feet in the sand, listing to her starboard side at about 15 degrees. The deck is in water 50 to 65 feet. The stern section of the American Tanker has the pilot house. This is a great location for a photo shoot. There is a large American Flag that is attached to the pilot house. The pilot house also has an air pocket that many divers enjoy sticking their head into and looking at their depth gauge. There is something very strange when your gauge is reading 50 feet, however your head is above the waterline. CAUTION: Do not breath any of the trapped air in the upper areas of the compartments. This air is very toxic. The barge was deliberately sunk after the American Seabees finished building the breakwater. So, there is nothing located in the holds of the barge, only empty shelving.
If time permits there is a shallow reef adjacent to the barge. This reef is between 15 and 30 feet with an abundance of hard coral. It is also possible to find old coke bottles from the forties when the Seabee’s were building the breakwater. The shallow reef makes a nice safety stop before heading back to the boat.
Michael Schuck
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