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Tjenderawashi Barge Wreck

On December 26, 1993 the dredging barge Tjenderawashi was tethered for an escavation job. However, rains and massive night waves sunk the barge. Workers tried to use 3,000 barrels to try to re-float it, to no avail. It currently rests along a steep slope, lodged firmly on four rocky outcroppings. It is almost up side down and tilts at a 20-degree angle. Cables and numerous barrels, now enveloped in marine life, hang in midwater down its ocean-facing side. Other wreckage and many barrels litter the rocky slope below the suspended wreck. The barge peaks at 4 meters and bottoms out at 26 meters.

The barge's bottom is only sparsely encrusted. But everything that hangs below is a maze of sponges, encrusting corals, and oysters. A large soft coral grows up side down on the end of a hanging cable. As expected, the wreck has attracted much fish life in its ten years below, including lionfish, large sweetlips, various angelfishes, and batfish. So far, Miguel's Diving staff has identified 140 species of fish alone here! The barge hosts an unusually large number of Raccoon butterflyfish (Chaetodon lunula), countless Diana's wrasse juveniles (Bodianus diana), a pair of large Mappa puffer (Arothron mappa), and mature Painted lobsters (Panulirus versicolor). There is even a giant clam living in the crane tower! The uncommon Twinspot chromis (Chromis elerae) thrives in its underbelly, as do many cardinalfish species. A Coleman's coral shrimp, newly described in 2003, was photographed and collected from this site and sent to the researcher. This purple-jointed beauty is common in Gorontalo waters.

The barge is 32 meters long and 10 meters wide.
The crane tower extends another 16 meters beyond the barge.
Depth: 4 - 25 meters

Highlights: very interesting wreck

Conditions: Visibility can vary considerably. Floodwaters from the nearby river and heavy surf can render diving this wreck unadvisable. Cold upwellings can cut visibility during the course of a dive. Bubbles also disturb fine silt on the wreck.

Special Note: Although no penetration is involved, the most interesting part of this dive involves diving with the wreck overhead. Divers must be careful in ascending even slightly while underneath it. Lionfish cruise the underside of the wreck. You do not want to bump one with your head! Also, swim carefully around the hanging barrels and cable; these all move. Although it is possible to swim completely underneath the wreck to the other side, there is not much to see in the shallow rubble. A safer alternative is to explore the barge, then the dredging crane, and then proceed to the rocky slope on the other side.

Virtual Dive

Descending towards the shallowest point of the wreck, divers follow the dive master along the hull's bottom edge to the gloom below where a Coleman's coral shrimp (Vir colemani) awaits. Descending further, divers peer inside the cavity of the engine area where sweetlips swim. A large Dendronephthya soft coral grows in midwater up side down on the bottom of a cable that hangs off the wreck. Heading toward a pair of pylons, divers begin exploring the underside of the barge. Inside the rusted cavity of one pylon, a pair of pipefish hides from the dive light. An Anton Bruuni shrimp with its characteristic red and white spots jumps into the shadows. While inspecting a cluster of barrels, a diver touches one and the entire cluster sways. These barrels are entirely encrusted. Oysters growing on them quickly snap shut as divers approach. Another diver hangs up side down, trying to read the letters that spell out the barge's name.

Down by the observation pole, the slope is littered by clamshells. Among them, strange shrimp with long claw arms jump around. Nearby small schools of the endemic Orangeback wrasse (Cirrhilabrus aurantidorsalis) circle in midwater while flasher wrasse prowl close to the rubble. Above, a pair of large Mappa puffers checks out the invading humans.

Now at shallower depths, divers explore the crane tower, which is full of fish and light. In fact, divers wave to each other through the open grid work. Circling back to the descent point, divers watch fish playing below them during the safety stop.

 

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