Papua New Guinea: Kimbe Bay Zero Wreck

In September I spent two weeks at Walindi Resort on a supported trip as part of a book project I am working on for PNG. It was a great trip and I had numerous great dives, but really wanted to dive the Mitsubishi Zero wreck as it was on the front cover of UWP just before I left and I was quite intrigued by it.

As it is located close to shore, it has to be dived after a couple of rain-free days and it was the last day of my trip before I finally got to dive it, plus I was really lucky as the small group of US based divers who were on the boat with me that day let me go first and have 15 minutes alone before they came in. This was really critical as the wreck is on a sandy seabed that is easily stirred up...

I was even luckier as I found the wreck staight away on the bearings given to me by the dive guide.... Navigation never was my forte underwater!

It's a great dive and a very photogenic wreck - probably my best shot is shown below and you can see the full gallery on this LINK and you can go to the location page for the wreck that describes the background and how it was found on this LINK

Don

New Guinea is such a magical place.

I love the info that you have supplied as it just brings lots of emotion into the shots

In September I spent two weeks at Walindi Resort on a supported trip as part of a book project I am working on for PNG. It was a great trip and I had numerous great dives, but really wanted to dive the Mitsubishi Zero wreck as it was on the front cover of UWP just before I left and I was quite intrigued by it.

 

As it is located close to shore, it has to be dived after a couple of rain-free days and it was the last day of my trip before I finally got to dive it, plus I was really lucky as the small group of US based divers who were on the boat with me that day let me go first and have 15 minutes alone before they came in. This was really critical as the wreck is on a sandy seabed that is easily stirred up...

 

I was even luckier as I found the wreck staight away on the bearings given to me by the dive guide.... Navigation never was my forte underwater!

 

It's a great dive and a very photogenic wreck - probably my best shot is shown below and you can see the full gallery on this LINK and you can go to the location page for the wreck that describes the background and how it was found on this LINK

 

Don

 

I like the contrast of the colors, very beautiful.

Have you tried with Black & White the other shots? not this one, the color is great.

I think that you have a few shots that will look great in B&W.

Beautiful photo Don.

I dove the Zero about 5 years ago. It had such an aura around it. So many questions in my mind. I begged to go back on a second dive as I realized that after shooting every angle on the first one, that I hadn't taken the time to actually "look" at it.

Thanks for the info as well.

Rand

I like the contrast of the colors, very beautiful.

 

Have you tried with Black & White the other shots? not this one, the color is great.

I think that you have a few shots that will look great in B&W.

Hi, I tried a few B&W quick and dirty conversions to see what they came out like - here is one of them.... Can't make up my mind if it is better though.

Don

Beautiful photo Don.

I dove the Zero about 5 years ago. It had such an aura around it. So many questions in my mind. I begged to go back on a second dive as I realized that after shooting every angle on the first one, that I hadn't taken the time to actually "look" at it.

Thanks for the info as well.

Rand

Hi Rand, thanks and yes it is an intriging wreck - I was so lucky to get 15 minutes on my own with it because as soon as the other divers arrived the overall ambience seemed to change, along with the viz.....

Don

Hi, I tried a few B&W quick and dirty conversions to see what they came out like - here is one of them.... Can't make up my mind if it is better though.

 

Don

 

Maybe if you increase the blacks in Lightroom and the contrast, you can get a strong image.

Maybe if you increase the blacks in Lightroom and the contrast, you can get a strong image.

I did a bit of tweaking in CS5..... what do you think?

Don

I did a bit of tweaking in CS5..... what do you think?

 

Don

 

Nice!!!