Dive-site story
A genuine piece of aviation history, this Vought F4U Corsair fighter plane ditched into the ocean during a training mission in the late 1940s after running out of fuel. The pilot made a controlled water landing and survived, leaving the airframe to settle upright on an expansive white sand bottom off the southeast coast of Oahu. The plane remains remarkably intact, featuring the propeller stuck upright in the sand, wings resting flat, and an open cockpit that now serves as an artificial oasis in an otherwise vast expanse of sand.
Nearly intact vintage fighter plane resting upright on the sandy seabed
Expansive colony of garden eels swaying across the surrounding sand flats
Moray eels frequently residing directly inside the open cockpit
Location
Use the map to plan with your operator and confirm the exact entry point on the day.
Seasonality
Summer and autumn months typically offer lighter trade winds and calmer surface conditions off Oahu's south and east shores.
Marine life
| Species | Likelihood | J | F | M | A | M | J | J | A | S | O | N | D |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hawaiian Garden EelGorgasia hawaiiensis | Common | ||||||||||||
| Yellowmargin MorayGymnothorax flavimarginatus | Common | ||||||||||||
| Commerson's FrogfishAntennarius commerson | Seasonal | ||||||||||||
| Spotted Eagle RayAetobatus narinari | Seasonal | ||||||||||||
| Trevally / JackCaranx melampygus | Common |
Marine forecast
