FathomOz

(Continued on fathomoz.com)

The remains of a bomber where there was a Japaese seaplane base during WWII.  There is doubt as the the origin of this aircraft.  Originally believed to be a USAF  B-17 that was brought down by ground fire.

The other possibility is it is an Australian RAAF  (Royal Australian Air Force)  Hudson bomber missing from Rabaul, New Guinea.

“No. 24 Squadron had four Hudsons and 12 Wirraways in Rabaul.  In January 1942 the Hudson’s and the Catalina’s were engaged in long range reconnaissance of Kapingamarangi and Truk.

On 20 January 1942 Japanese carriers launched  100 bombers and fighters to attack Rabaul.  Wing Commander J. Lerew CO of No.24 Squadron had four Hudsons and 11 Wirraways to oppose this Japanese force.  (The Wirraways were virtually training aircraft and no match against the Japanese aircraft).  After the raid they were left with one Hudson and one Wirraway.

The Japanese invaded the next day outnumbering the Australian defenders by five to one.

Commanding HQ in Melbourne ordered the Australians to defend Rabaul.

The return message sent to Melbourne was in Latin “Nos morituri te salutamus”,  which is taken to mean “We who are about to die salute” – term used by the gladiators to spectators at the Colosseum in Rome about 2000 years earlier”.

Text W.J. Gibbs

(Click to enlarge)

Kalio became our guide and friend when we were doing a scientific survey on his island, a true atoll in the Eastern Caroline Islands.  (Federated States of Micronesia).

We have not located Kalio on Facebook, not yet, but we are exchanging notes with a younger former resident who remembers our visit – (arriving in a Grumman Hu-16 Albatross seaplane, see Fathom 1).

These pictures show Kalio free diving in front of his island home.  Water visibility a constant 200 feet and sea water temperature luke-warm.  The closest to a diving paradise I’ve experienced.  This was 1969 – dive gear was still traditional Polynesian.

Even so Kalio was reaching a depth close to 20 meters – without fins or snorkel.  The spear being used was a very light gauge and about 3.5 meters long with a single flopper – essential length for getting close to the tiny reef fish.

Is global warming effecting the sea levels at these Pacific atolls near the equator?

Nukuoro and Kapingamarangi are two true Polynesians atolls that come to mind.  (See Fathom magazine #1)

An atoll is believed to be a slowly sinking volcano.  Live coral crowing on the rim of the extinct volcano maintains the above water land.

There are no true atolls in Australia’s The Coral Sea.

Lady Musgrave Island has an lagoon which resembles that of an atoll.

Earthquake activity can cause islands to sink or rise.  Many factors to consider.