Chuuk Lagoon in Micronesia draws divers from around the world who, beneath warm, turquoise waters, marvel at the World War II shipwrecks scattered like ghosts across its floor.
Dr Matt Carter, however, is drawn to the lagoon and its wrecks for other reasons; for the Kiwi maritime archaeologist, it’s ground zero for his work leading one of the world’s largest and most challenging marine archaeological and conservation projects.
Melbourne-based Carter is research director of the Major Projects Foundation, a non-profit that’s tackling the threats posed to the environment and cultural heritage by oil-containing World War II wrecks as they slowly decay in the Pacific’s depths.
The foundation was formed in 2018 by Newcastle-based couple Paul and Wilma Adams after they witnessed oil leaking
