I first dived the USAT Liberty wreck way back in 1999 and developed somewhat of a fascination with the site itself - which was and can still be an incredible dive - together with how much Tulamben and the overall experience has changed.

These days it would be very easy to take one look at the divers kitting up around mid-morning and simply get back in the car and go to a different site.

On a busy day at Tulamben there can easily be more than 100 divers on the wreck and it's pretty easy to see that many of them don't have a lot of experience - hoods with white rabbit ears are a key indicator... Underwater that lack of experience becomes even more obvious!

And yet, despite the damage that traffic around the wreck has done, it's still a great dive if you understand the site and know when to dive it.

In my early experiences on the wreck I used to get lost all the time and basically just meandered around photographing interesting stuff as I stumbled on it. Then back in 2012 I decided to get serious and booked a week of diving with Tulamben Wreck Divers (TWD) who enjoy a very solid reputation. I dived the wreck five times a day for that week and really got to know it and its moods (It does have them).

I repeated that experience again in early 2020, just before the pandemic, and in March this year I went back for another week with TWD.

Which means I have digital images of the wreck going back to 2005 (plus some earlier film ones...) and, combined with my understanding of the wreck paints a very interesting story.

That story has just been published in X-Ray magazine and can be read on this link:

Hi,

I first dived Tulamben and the Liberty in 1992. Tulamben did not really exist. There were only few huts and a "parking area". Last time time I dived there in 2024. In between, I visited and dived Tulamben various times. Things have changed significantly. But nowadays, that is not just a problem in Tulamben. Dived this spring Philippines for 5 weeks. Malapascua/Kimud Shoal and the treasures are a nightmare. We had 25 boats anchoring. Big party underwater and Gopro show with a lot of "nice models". I have never seen before so many divers on such a small place underwater. Guides told me they have up to 50 boats at high season in may. Sabang/Puerto Galera same. Bohol/Alona beach 600+ cylinder early morning on the beach waiting for divers. But I still know some places.......but they are becoming rare.

Br Markus

Your link does not work.

I'm in Bali now with last day of a 24 days of diving tomorrow Dive # 62 was today ,most are three dive days for us. This my 7th trip to Bali-dove the wreck from a boat on last day of a 30 day trip in 2005 from Sorong thru Raja Ampat ,Ambon ,Flores snake island , and up thur Komodo and finished at the wreak at 7 am when the Bump heads where there . It was film days then and less crowed. Stayed at Puri Mada many times and this is the 1st trip where we did not dive the wreck. The wreak is great but the mob is not.. If you come its must do . That said I'm not missing it this trip. My buddy has been diving every year since 92 here and there have been many changes but the wreck keeps this town alive.