Historical Shipwreck Turned Tourist Attraction; The USS Liberty

The USAT Liberty is a US Army Cargo ship that was sunk off the coast of Tulamben. Constructed in New Jersey in 1918, she went on numerous expeditions, delivering horses and general cargo in both WW1 and WW2.

The USAT Liberty was en route to the Philippines from Australia to deliver railway parts and rubber when it was struck by a torpedo from a Japanese Submarine. Contrary to popular belief, the USAT Liberty did not sink immediately after the torpedo, but was towed by neighboring Dutch and US ships to the coast of Singaraja in order to be repaired. However due to the copious amount of water she had taken in, the US army cargo ship was beached in order to save its cargo. The eruption of Mount Agung in 1961 caused earthquakes which moved the USAT Liberty from its resting place on the beach, sinking it and breaking its bow and stern.

Today, the USAT Liberty is one of the most popular dive sites in the area. It is home to numerous fish and coral species, and is visited by dozens of divers every day. Because of its shallow depth of around 15-20 Meters, inexperienced scuba divers can also enjoy the beautiful sights of the USAT Liberty Wreck.

I have been coming back to the USAT Liberty every year since I got my license, as it is one of the first spots where I learnt to scuba dive. Its rich biodiversity, combined with its beautiful sights makes for a very pleasant and easygoing dive.