SS PRESIDENT COOLIDGE

26th October 1942

Considered by many divers to be the best wreck dive in the world, the SS President Coolidge was a luxury passenger liner converted to a troop carrier during WWII. While entering the Santo harbor she was hit by friendly mines, providing divers with a remarkable underwater playground.
Almost completely intact, you can swim through the numerous holds and decks viewing the reminders of her glorious days as a cruise liner and the remnants of her days as a troop ship. There are guns, cannons, jeeps, helmets, trucks and personal supplies left by some of the soldiers, as well as the beautiful porcelain statue of “The Lady,” chandeliers and a mosaic tile fountain. The wreck is covered in coral and is the home to a plethora of sea life such including barracuda, lion fish, and a host of reef fish.
If you want to see the whole wreck, you’ll need at least 10 to 15 dives — she’s 200 metres in length and rests in 20 to 72 metres of water! — but you can certainly get a feel for her magnitude and majesty on even a few dives.