SS President Coolidge

The SS President Coolidge is the largest shore-accessible artificial reef in the world. Built in 1931 for Dollar Steamship Lines, she was a luxury ocean liner before being pressed into service as a troop transport ship during World War II. She was carrying 5,000 US infantry to the island of Espiritu Santo in Vanuatu when she struck a mine in the island’s main channel. The captain attempted to beach the ship on the nearby reef – an action that allowed all but two of the passengers and crew to reach the safety of shore. However, the ship could not be saved and slipped back down the reef slope, coming to rest on the seabed on her port side. Today, the vessel is an impressive artificial reef to explore, with large forward holds that are easy to access, and several large holes cut into the starboard side of her hull, which were used for salvage purposes. The bow rests at 57 feet (17.5 meters) at its highest point, but the deepest part of the wreck is below 200 feet (61 meters). Most of the wreck lies at depth below 100 feet (33 meters), which makes this an advanced/technical dive.