Ashmore Fishing Boats
GPS: S 12° 14.311'
E 122° 58.752'
Location: West lagoon, Ashmore Reef
Site depth: 1-7 metres
Divable conditions: Protected from weather
Visibilty: 10 metres
Vessel: Phrau
Construction: Wood
Tons: Unknown
Vessel length: Unknown
Wreck event: Most likely scuttled by customs
These two traditional Indonesian fishing boats are possibly two of the most remote wrecks on the West Australian coast. Just inside the Australian Economic Exclusion Zone only 60 miles south of Indonesia, these two wrecks lay just off West Island at Ashmore Reef. Although modern, Indonesian fisherman have for centuries used the sheltered lagoons of Ashmore Reef for fishing grounds and safe anchorage.
One sits just on the edge of the West Island lagoon in 7 metres of water. The other lays burnt to the waterline just off the beach and nearby on West Island remain a number of Indonesian graves.