I love history, especially when it connects with diving.  And there is no greater convergence of the two than Truk Lagoon (called Chuuk today), formerly the largest Imperial Japanese Naval base outside of Japan during WWII.  Its like an underwater museum.  The seafloor there is littered with the coral-covered remains of more than 60 sunken ships, payback by the US Navy in 1944 for Pearl Harbour.

But there is a huge 15 hour timeshift to get there  from Toronto, so we decided to break up the trip and visit Pearl Harbour in Hawaii first, in order to help readjust to the Jet lag.  This is where it all started, the flashpoint that galvanized public opinion, and propelled  the US into the war. It’s still an active Naval base, as well as a National Park, so some parts are restricted.

We arrived an hour early at 7am with hopes to get tickets (we did) for the USS Arizona Memorial, and it was packed already. This must-see park features walking trails with displays & museums, the Pacific Aviation Museum, the Submarine USS Bowfin, and the distinguished battleship Misourri where Japan signed its instrument of surrender.  Plan to spend the whole day there!

The USS Arizona Memorial:

The  “Mighty Mo” Battleship Misourri:

The USS Bowfin Submarine, named after a scrappy, mean-looking fish with big jaws:

The Pacific Aviation Museum: