Bikini Lagoon Liveaboard is a “once in a lifetime” itinerary in the Marshall Islands designed by UK tour operator Dive Worldwide to appeal to technical wreck divers.
It takes place aboard the 30m steel-hulled Pacific Master (formerly the Solomons PNG Master), which accommodates up to 20 passengers in 12 cabins. The vessel is tech- and rebreather-friendly and uses tenders for the diving.
Between May and September, 10-, 11- and 13-night itineraries are now available exploring remote Bikini Atoll (for the remainder of the year the vessel operates in Truk Lagoon).
In 1946 the USA conducted Operation Crossroads, two atomic bomb tests that resulted in the sinking of 21 US and Japanese warships in Bikini Lagoon to form today’s “ghost fleet” – a world-class, if hard-to-reach, attraction for scuba divers. More than 75 years on, they can now immerse themselves in the location’s history, with liveaboard expeditions offered annually.
Highlights of the UNESCO World Heritage site include the enormous aircraft-carrier USS Saratoga, which alone can provide multiple penetration dives, the 250m HIJMS Nagato, USS Arkansas and numerous smaller destroyers.
The trip is suitable for experienced technical divers with relevant wreck-penetration experience. They fly first to Hawaii and then to a US military base in the Marshall Islands, crossing the International Date Line before embarking on a 400km voyage through some of the planet’s remotest waters.
Dive Worldwide offers the Bikini Lagoon Liveaboard trip from £6,395pp for the 10-night itinerary including return flights from the UK. This includes 12 nights’ accommodation (10 onboard, the others in Honolulu hotels, all two sharing), full board, two daily extended-range dives and transfers. There is additional pricing for gases, equipment rental and stage and bail-out cylinders.
