Discover A Slice Of History At The Underwater Corsair Plane Wreck In Hawaii
By Megan Shute|Published August 31, 2019
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Megan Shute
Author
With more than 10 years of experience as a professional writer, Megan holds a degree in Mass Media from her home state of Minnesota. After college, she chose to trade in her winter boots for slippahs and moved to the beautiful island of Oahu, where she has been living for more than five years. She lives on the west side but is constantly taking mini-road trips across the island and visits the neighboring islands whenever she can getaway. She loves hiking, snorkeling, locally-grown coffee, and finding the best acai bowl on Oahu.
The Hawaiian Islands are steeped in history, from the first Europeans visiting the islands in 1778 and the establishment of the Kingdom of Hawaii in 1795 to the islands’ involvement in World War II and Hawaii’s admittance to the United States of America in 1959. While you will find historical landmarks across the Aloha State, there’s plenty of history hiding in the shadows, including this little-known plane wreckage from World War II found off the coast of Hawaii.
Unlike many of the wrecks you will find off the coast of Oahu that are intentionally sunk to serve as artificial reefs, this particular wreck is the real deal.
Found on the ocean floor within Maunalua Bay, this Corsair plane didn’t come to a dramatic end as far as plane crashes typically go. The World War II aircraft started to sputter during a routine mission in 1948 and as the engine began to fail, the experienced pilot managed to make a smooth water landing, wheels up and flaps slightly extended.
The pilot was rescued nearby bobbing in his lifejacket. The plane wasn’t damaged, but it also wasn’t buoyant. So, it ended up at the bottom of the ocean and has been slowly reclaimed by the vast Pacific.
After more than seven decades, the plane is merely a corpse of its former self, but divers, photographers, and a population of garden eels still find the beauty in this abandoned place. In addition to garden eels, you will encounter a variety of tropical, brightly colored fish, and perhaps even a stingray or two.
Located approximately three miles off the shore of the Hawaii Kai Marina on Oahu’s southeastern shore, the wreckage of this plane sits in more than 100 feet of sparkling blue water in an upright position facing southwest, with the airplane’s tail pointing towards Koko Head.
Many scuba companies will take you to this incredible dive site, and if you leave from the marina found within the Hawaii Kai Shopping Center, it will only take 15 minutes to arrive.
Whether you’re an advanced scuba diver or are hoping to learn, Hawaii is perhaps one of the greatest destinations for scuba diving in America. Our state offers an entire world to explore underneath the ocean’s surface, and this is easily one of the coolest dive sites you’ll find.
Have you ever experienced the surreal beauty of an underwater wreck off the coast of Hawaii? What about a simple snorkeling tour or scuba diving excursion? Share your favorite underwater destinations with us in the comments below!
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