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Silhouetted divers swimming beneath a yacht in clear ocean waters.
📷 Saad Alaiyadhi · Pexels

American Tanker

3.4 — based on 12 community signals
4.3 12 species 30 contributors

American Tanker is a year-round wreck dive in the United States with good coral health and steady marine life activity.

⭐ Best for intermediate divers.

updated 4 months ago
Difficulty
Intermediate
WreckPhotoFriendly

At a glance

Activity
dive
Difficulty
intermediate

Top operators here

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Map

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American Tanker location map © Google · Map data © Google, contributors
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Conditions today

Conditions

Open-Meteo
Wind
12.1 kn
Wave
1.58 m
Water
29.5°C
N E S W
Wind direction (7d)
Primary: SSE (24%)
Now: WSW (247°)
Tide (7 days)
range: 0.71m

Next: Low at 07:00 (+0.25m)

+0.9 m+0.2 m
▼ 07:00 · +0.25m ▲ 15:00 · +0.73m ▼ 19:00 · +0.68m ▲ 00:00 · +0.74m
Sat 19Sun 20Mon 21Tue 22Wed 23Thu 24Fri 25
UV8.55 · very high Air PM2.52 · good 06:10 18:19
Day Wind Wave UV Rain
09-19 12.8 1.7 9 14mm
09-20 7.1 1.5 9 8mm
09-21 11.9 1.32 6 12mm
09-22 10.5 1.26 3 12mm
09-23 10.5 1.28 3 6mm
09-24 6.9 1.02 3 5mm
09-25 6.2 0.72 5 7mm

About this spot

American Tanker is a shipwreck dive site in the United States that draws divers year-round. The wreck sits in General Vessel Anchorages and offers access to a piece of maritime history. With no marine protection area restrictions, the site remains open and accessible to divers seeking wreck exploration. The reef around American Tanker shows no signs of coral bleaching stress, indicating healthy reef conditions. This supports a stable marine ecosystem where you can expect consistent encounters with local species. Community divers have documented 12 distinct species observations at the site, reflecting the biodiversity that colonizes and inhabits the wreck structure. Access and conditions remain stable throughout the year, making American Tanker a dependable option whenever you plan your dive trip. The site has generated three community videos, offering reference points for what to expect underwater. These user-contributed resources help you prepare and understand the layout before entering the water. Whether you're a wreck enthusiast or exploring new sites, American Tanker provides a chance to see how marine life adapts to artificial structures. The combination of accessible conditions and documented species activity makes it worth adding to your dive log.

📖 Guide: Diving in the United States: 87 Sites From Springs to Open Ocean

Dive types

Wreck

Trip essentials

Everything you need before you pack — checklist, sun, logistics.

Trip checklist

  • 🛂 Visa-free or visa-on-arrival
  • 📜 C-card + dive insurance (DAN)
  • 📔 Dive logbook
  • 🧴 Reef-safe sunscreen SPF 50+
  • 🔌 Plug type A/B · 120V adapter
  • 💊 Seasickness meds + ear drops
  • 📱 Offline maps + emergency contact

Quick facts

  • 🌓 Moon First quarter · 47%
  • GPS
Sustainability disclosures
🌍 CO2 footprint LHR ↔ 12047km · ~2771kg · €50

FAQ

When is the best time to dive American Tanker?

American Tanker is diveable year-round, so you can plan a visit whenever suits your schedule. No specific months show better conditions than others based on available data.

What marine life can I expect to see?

Twelve species have been documented at American Tanker by the diving community. Check recent community videos and species logs to see what divers have encountered on recent visits.

Are there permit or access restrictions?

American Tanker is not located within a marine protected area, so standard diving practices apply. Always follow local regulations and respect the site.

What is the reef condition at American Tanker?

The coral around the wreck shows no bleaching stress, indicating healthy reef conditions and a stable environment for marine life.

Operators near this spot

Dive centres, kite & surf schools within 10 km, sourced from OpenStreetMap.

MDA (Piti Shop)

7.8 km
Dive centre

Recently spotted by divers

iNaturalist →

Verified marine species observations

53 records · 49 species · sources: OBIS, GBIF

Abylopsis tetragona

Hydrozoa · Abylidae
OBIS
Last seen:
26 Jan 2017
×1records
Depth:
0–1 m

Stenella longirostris

Spinner dolphin
Mammalia · Delphinidae
OBIS
Last seen:
9 Mar 2015
×1records

Thranita crenata

Malacostraca · Portunidae
OBIS
Last seen:
16 Jun 2014
×1records

Gastropoda

Gastropoda
OBIS
Last seen:
29 Mar 2014
×1records

Morula

Gastropoda · Muricidae
OBIS
Last seen:
29 Mar 2014
×1records

Hippolytidae

Malacostraca · Hippolytidae
OBIS
Last seen:
29 Mar 2014
×1records

Polychaeta

Polychaeta
OBIS
Last seen:
26 Mar 2014
×1records

Chaetopterus longipes

Polychaeta · Chaetopteridae
OBIS
Last seen:
19 Jun 2010
×1records

Chama

Bivalvia · Chamidae
OBIS
Last seen:
17 Jun 2010
×1records

Barbatia parva

Bivalvia · Arcidae
OBIS
Last seen:
16 Jun 2010
×1records

Holothuria (Platyperona) excellens

Holothuroidea · Holothuriidae
OBIS
Last seen:
13 Jun 2010
×1records

Paractaea rufopunctata

Malacostraca · Xanthidae
OBIS
Last seen:
8 Apr 2009
×1records

Data: 187,991 observations from OBIS (Ocean Biodiversity Information System) and GBIF (Global Biodiversity Information Facility). CC-BY 4.0.

See this spot in action

YouTube videos — click to play.

American Tanker (09 May 2026)

Michael Bay

American Tanker - MDA boat dive

Patricia Hackney

American Tanker & Barracuda Rock

Snorkel Time

Local knowledge

OpenStreetMap Notes
  • "Hi. I believe a certain Tag is missing here(relation/14099676), because there is already another administrative boundary with admin level 4 for the island of Guam(relation/306001) with the EEZ included. Does it really make sense to have two admin level=4 elements for Guam?"

    MrSledge · 2022-09-15
  • "The name is incorrect. This is the Asan Inland Unit of the War in the Pacific National Historical Park. The actual Mount Alifan Unit is further south, in Agat/Santa Rita below Mount Alifan."

    anonymous · 2020-10-17
wind peaks Feb-Dec-Apr, calmest Jul-Aug-Sep, dry Jan-Dec.

5-year monthly climate

60 samples
0 5 10 15 20 25 JFMAMJJASOND
p25–p75 range Median Wind (kn) Air (°C)
Visibility (month-by-month)
Best: Apr (100/100) Worst: Jul (0/100) Now: Sep (100/100) NOAA MODIS Aqua · 5y mean

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