USS Emmons

USS Emmons is an American destroyer wreck lying off Kouri Island (古宇利島) in the northern part of Okinawa's main island, sunk during the Second World War. The wreck was discovered in 2000 after oil was spotted on the surface by the Japan Coast Guard and local divers, and it has been a dive site ever since. The ship measures 106.2 m in length and 11.0 m in beam, with a displacement of 2,050 tonnes; the hull has remained in remarkably intact condition, with gun turrets, propellers, and other structures clearly visible. Scattered around the wreck are torpedoes from the battle, and the engine section of what is believed to be a Japanese aircraft shot down during the same engagement can also be found nearby.

The wreck sits at a maximum depth of 40–41.6 m, reached by descending hand-over-hand down guide ropes fixed at the bow, amidships, and stern; divers work their way down to between 35 m and 40 m along these lines. Entry is by boat. Because of the depth, no-decompression limits are short, and enriched-air nitrox is recommended to extend bottom time. The site carries a difficulty rating of 4.8 out of 5 and requires at minimum an Advanced Open Water certification with a Deep Specialty; a Deep Specialty certification is listed as a requirement alongside Advanced Open Water.

Conditions at USS Emmons are demanding: current runs strong, the water is deep, and the combination of depth and limited NDL time makes this a site suited to experienced and technically minded divers. Enriched-air nitrox is specifically recommended for this dive to manage the decompression risk at depth.