No. 4 ASHMORE REEF Shipwreck site "The Sun".

Relatively close to the border between Australian and Papua New Guinea, in the northern region of The Coral Sea are a pair of coral reefs.**

Ashmore Reef and Eastern Fields are not include on regular dive tourism itineraries, being still a little too remote for time-conscious visits, but private yachts and vessels  en-route to Murray Island may call in.

At the northern corner of Ashmore Reef is an ancient shipwreck, positioned near a ledge which drops onto a shelf 40 meters below, and then falls away into presumably very deep water.

It was interesting country with hump head Maori wrasse and tuna. The sort of place where anything could swim by if you were in the water long enough.

The shipwreck scattered in shallower water is The Sun and has a connection to an early white settler, Frank Jardine of Cape York and his long-lost treasure of gold.

Shipwreck explorer Ben Cropp believes the two large iron anchors (pictured) were sitting on the deck of the ship – the timber having long since rotted away, which would explain why they are elevated from the surrounding flat coral platform.

There can be an eerie feeling around such a tragic site – which, in it’s era, would have been equivalent to an airline crash of today. Bit’s and pieces scattered everywhere. Time was against our brief visit as we were heading for Murray Island to film turtle hunters at work. We’d definately enjoy a return visit one day.

The Sun shipwreck, anchor surrounded by live corals.

Ashmore reef for 24 hours to dive  the shipwreck site of  The Sun. 

Ben Cropp (AM) with the camera - son Dean Cropp gives a size comparison alongside the cannon and anchors near a vertical drop-off.

Growth-rate of brain coral might be determined - growling slowly to a piece of wreckage, an L shaped iron 'beam' - but when did the coral lodge there?

 Spearing hazard - 1.5 meter bull shark did this to get at the coral trout inside.

Freedom III at Princess Charlotte Bay en route to Ashmore Reef and Murray Island - also known as Mer Island.  Another successful filming expedition for a TV documentary by Ben Cropp.