DARKNESS AND LIGHT IN TRUK LAGOON
CHUUK IS A DESTINATION with multiple
personalities. On the one hand, very few people
have ever heard of it. On the other, it is worldfamous amongst wreck divers. But even these
hardy souls are not always sure what to call
it: Chuuk or Truk? Dives can be deep, dark,
dangerous and dramatic; then suddenly, in
an instant, morph into spectacular colour and
dazzling life. One minute one can be surrounded
by the bones of sailors who died in violent battle,
and moments later be gazing at beautiful, healthy
soft corals in a kaleidoscope of colours while
surrounded by thousands of fish.
This group of small islands is properly called
Chuuk State, part of the Federated States of
Micronesia. Located in the central Pacific just
north of the equator, Chuuk is part of the Caroline
Islands. When checking in to travel here, the
airport clerk will likely have no idea where you are
going when you say “Chuuk”. Just tell them to draw
a line from Sydney to Tokyo and stop almost bang
in the middle. The islands and country may be called
Chuuk today, but they were made famous by the
name Truk. Today Truk is used in reference to the
actual lagoon where the famous wrecks are resting,
so you travel to Chuuk to dive Truk Lagoon.
From the air, the islands of Chuuk are strung like
emeralds on a calm sapphire sea, with the barrier
atoll wrapping a 225-kilometre-long protective
embrace around the central islands. This vision o