Exploring the mysteries of the SS President Coolidge in Santo: A divers dream adventure

Nestled in the pristine waters of Santo, Vanuatu, lies an underwater wonder that beckons diving adventurers from around the globe. The SS President Coolidge, once a grand ocean liner turned troopship during World War II, now rests silently on the ocean floor, an awe-inspiring testament to history and marine life alike. Today, the wreckage remains one of the largest accessible shipwrecks for divers to explore. On a recent Vanuatu diving holiday I was lucky enough to dive the wreck twice and learned more about its incredible history.

A dive into history

During World War II, while navigating through the dangerous waters of the Pacific en route to Espiritu Santo, information about the SS President Coolidge's safe entry into the harbour was accidentally omitted from the sailing orders, unaware that the harbour had minefields the captain steered the ship through the most obvious channel. Tragically the ship struck mines, one hitting the engine room and killing Fireman Robert Reid and another hit near her stern.

The captain knew he was going to lose the ship so he ran her aground in shallow waters and ordered troops to disembark and leave behind their belongings as he didn’t believe the ship would sink. The captain left the ship himself but returned to rescue men who were trapped in the infirmary, he successfully rescued the men but trapped himself. Unfortunately, the ship listed heavily and sank stern-first into a deep channel with the captain on board. Captain Elwood Joseph Euart received the Distinguished Service Cross and his body was found by a local dive guide in 2013, and recovered in 2014, 73 years after the ship sank.

In Luganville, the main town centre of Espirito Santo, next to the food markets you can find a brand-new museum dedicated to the war and the SS President Coolidge. I visited it after my first morning orientation dive and I highly recommend visiting on your diving holiday, learning more about the history of the ship and the war made my night dive an even more meaningful and incredible experience.

A bucket list experience: Diving the SS President Coolidge at night!

On my last trip to Santo I heard about diving the wreck at night and how it was like something out of Avatar as there are fishes with lights that hide out in the wreck. At the time I wasn’t a very experienced diver, but returning as a Dive Master I was ready and was not going to miss it for anything.

I was a little nervous but my dive guide from Pacific Divers put me at ease, especially after seeing how safety-conscious he was on the first dive (shout out to Rex from Pacific Divers!).

We arrived at the site at dusk, geared up and did our safety checks, I was ready to go with my bright torch and my GoPro! We waded out through the shallow water and reached out decent point just as it was getting dark.

We descended and I won’t lie it's quite eerie, it’s the darkest dark under the water with only your torch as your guiding light, however I soon found the dark and the sound of my breathing calming and I entered my happy place under the water. Quite quickly we reached the top of the channel, the channel that the SS President Coolidge slid down to its watery resting place. We followed the line down to 21 metres, soon reaching the bow of the ship. Fish danced through the soft corals and hide the fan coral on the side of the ship and we made our way across and down to cargo hold 1 where we entered into her belly.

Careful not to kick up to much sediment we made our way to the midpoint where we had been that morning, memorable because it was where some jeeps layed upside down. My guide signalled for me to hold onto the wheel of the jeep, and then we switched off our lights.

GoPro on and ready to see the show, we waited what seemed like a long time, but was only about 30 seconds, before I got my first glance at the sparkling lights. Soon a few lights turned into hundreds, and the lights started moving together, creating magical patterns, and moving from in front of me to the other side of the ship. They then moved up above us, and it was like zooming through the universe with thousands of stars passing by. We spent about 20 minutes watching this incredible show put on by nature. When my guide switched back on his light and signalled, we had to start our ascent I didn’t want to leave!

We returned to the front of the ship and came back out the cargo hold, taking our time checking out the guns, fish and coral. Slowly we ascended up the line to do our safety stop, bringing to an end a magical experience. It was really hard to explain what I had seen to my driver and friends later that night, but one thing I can say, it’s up there with the coolest things I’ve ever done in my travels!

Tips for Diving the SS Coolidge

1. Choose experienced guides and a reputable dive company: Given the size and complexity of the wreck, diving with experienced guides is essential for a safe and enjoyable experience. Choose a company that requires you to do a day orientation dive, it’s a great dive and it makes your night dive safer knowing where you are on the wreck.

2. Check your equipment: Double-check your gear and ensure it's in optimal condition before embarking on your dive adventure. If you think something isn’t working properly, ask for a replacement. I did when my first tank had a dodgy O-ring.

3. Bring an underwater torch: Your dive company should supply you with one, but you should always carry a backup.
4. Bring a camera: Capture the magic of your dive and immortalize your encounter with the SS Coolidge's fascinating underwater world. Make sure your camera works at a depth of 30 metres.
5. Respect the environment: As stewards of the ocean, it's important to tread lightly and avoid disturbing marine life or damaging the wreck.

When to go?

You can dive the SS Coolidge year-round, but the months of June to October are a bit cooler, with the water still being around 26 degrees, and this means your other activities on land are a bit more comfortable. The experts at Spacifica Travel can help you plan your Vanuatu diving holiday, call us on 1800 800 722 or view our holiday packages online. So, gear up, take the plunge, and discover the magic that awaits beneath the surface in Santo!