Rising Sun Over Rabaul
The splendor of the scenery of Rabaul is breathtaking, especially the peaks of its volcanoes and the plume of ash that still emits. I was up at dawn to sit on the beach and watch the sunrise. This morning, Peter Ligget, and I were wreck and reef diving.

Peter Leggett
We departed the Kula Lodge / Dive Rabual's launch and set out in the western side of the Gazelle Peninsula for several dives. Peter Leggett has been living in Rabaul since 1969 and is an expert diver. His anecdotes from over thirty years in the region makes him a resource on many levels. Behind him in this shot is Watom Island, where British POWs were massacre. He has an intimate knowledge of Japanese wrecks and war history in the area, and has been there during the discovery of several new wrecks including PT 347

Midway Reef
We began diving the colorful Midway Reef for 55 minutes to depths of 90 feet. Fish, sponge and coral life were plentiful and breathtaking. Unfortunately, I did not have the capabilities to take underwater photographs. We glided along the reef wall and explored caves and blowholes. Several schools of tuna and larger fish and sharks were observed around the area.

Japanese Pete Seaplane
Here Peter Leggett points to the location where this biplane ran out of fuel and ditched near another reef. The crew swam to shore and were rescued but the plane sunk. It now rests at 87 feet and is a breathtaking site. The plane is completely intact. Only the rear gun is missing (stolen in recent years) and the main pontoon is twisted to the side. Otherwise, the plane looks as if it flying through the crystal clear water. On the way back to the surface, we found these three sea cucumbers an expensive delicacy.

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