Vanuatu was visited during the Christmas and New Year period of
1996/1997. The Vanuatu island group consists of over 80 small islands lieing
1000 miles east from Australia. At the small island of Espiritu Santo just 50
metres off the beach is the wreck of the luxury liner the "President
Coolidge".
This massive vessel over 650' in length and was being used as a troop carrier, when in October 1942 struck two mines in the enrance to Santo harbour. The vessel was driven onto a beach where the troops managed to get safely ashore. less than two hours later it fell onto its side and slipping off the reef sank into deeper water. Today it lies on its port side, the bows at 20 metres and the stern at 70 metres. It is intact and is completely accessible inside. Most dives are spent exploring the state rooms, the connecting companionways, the dining areas, the holds and the engine areas.
Evacuating the "President
Coolidge"
The Engine room-maximum depth 48 metres.This involves a long swim along the starboard hull for about three quarters of the length of the liner. You then descend down through a large square hole cut into the hull. This was formed by the salvage crews to gain access. You drop down past some massive engine turbines and into the engine control room. In here there are three telegraphs and numerous banks of gauges. The dive then continues through the engine area, past access ladders and stairs and exits through the stump of the smoke stack. The actual funnel has broken off and lies in quite deep water. The return journey takes in part of the bridge deck area including the captain's bathroom.
The "Lady" maximum depth 46 metres.This is a sculpture of a lady standing with a unicorn. It is above a fireplace in the first class passenger's smoking lounge. This features prominently in photographs taken in the 1940's, copies of which were available at Vanuatu. This is reached by swimming along the promenade deck, entering through a hatchway and into the lounge area. The dive route back is through the lounge and then into a huge open space. This is the lobby to the staircase area. The stairs have rotted away but there is a massive open chasm going down into the lower decks.
The Lady and Unicorn, President Coolidge.
The galley maximum depth 53 metres.This advanced dive entails a long swim along the outside of the starboard hull for 3/4 the length of the wreck. You enter the wreck via a sea door at 35 metres and drop down almost 20metres into the somewhat dark galley. Kitchen equipment and massive ranges can be seen. The dive route takes you forward, past store rooms and dining areas; there is crockery and cutlery strewn around everywhere. The dive is still well inside the wreck, it ends by squeezing through a letter box opening into one of the forward holds before exiting through the hatch and onto the deck.
Holds numbers 1 and 2, maximum depth 32 metres.The holds are forward of the superstructure. They are full of equipment including jeeps, 6" guns, shells, boots, aicraft blister tanks.
20mm cannons, maximum depth 47 metres.This dive was on the seabed by the bridge. The dive route is to the front of the bridge superstructure at first, depth here is 30 metres. We then dropped down to the port side against the sea bed ( the "Coolidge" lies on its port side). There was a large gun here on the sea bed, also present was a radio (one of the bridge main radios), a compass and many other assorted items. One of the dive guides had in the past found a hand gun in this area. Being on the outside of the wreck there was much life present with numerous fish of assorted sizes and colours.
First class staterooms, maximum depth 48 metres. These were accessed by going to the bridge superstructure and entering onto the promenade deck. You could swim along the corridors and peer into each cabin. The dive route took us into the bridge area and the exit was through one of the large windows. On the starboard side there is an anti-aircraft gun. This was also home to "Nessie", the resident morey eel. Nessie was quite tame and liked to be tickled under her chin!
Million Dollar Point, maximum depth 30 metres.Just a short distance away from the "Coolidge" is the remains of military equipment dumped at the end of the Second World War. There are trucks, barges, gun carriages and numerous other items scattered around just off the beach.
Diving was with Alan Power of Santo Dive Tours. Two dives per day including transport to dive site. The Coolidge is easily accessible from the shore just a short swim to a rope secured to the bow. Expect to do long decompression stops over and above what the dive computer indicates. This is wise because the nearest chamber is at Cairns, Australia two days away, with a flight to Port Villa in an unpressurized small aircraft. At the 6 metre decompression stop there are numerous small fish all eagerly wanting to be fed. Also there is "Boris" an enormous 150kg grouper.