Espiritu Santo dive sites

At the end of World War II, the United States had a massive military base on Espiritu Santo with vast quantities of equipment, vehicles, and supplies. Rather than shipping everything home at great expense, the US military offered to sell the surplus to the joint British-French colonial administration of the New Hebrides at a steep discount. When negotiations failed, the military decided to dump everything into the sea rather than leave it for free. Over several days in 1945, trucks, jeeps, bulldozers, cranes, forklifts, clothing, and Coca-Cola bottles were driven off the shoreline into the water. The estimated value at the time was several million dollars.

Yes, Million Dollar Point is excellent for all levels. The equipment starts in very shallow water, with some items visible while snorkelling at the surface. The shallowest vehicles and equipment are at 3 to 5 metres depth, perfect for beginner divers. The debris field extends down a gradual slope to around 30 metres, so intermediate and advanced divers can explore deeper sections where larger equipment like bulldozers and cranes sit. The shore entry is easy over a coral rubble beach, and there is no current at the site.

Both sites are located on Espiritu Santo and are often dived as a pair. The SS President Coolidge is a single large luxury liner converted to a troopship, offering classic wreck penetration diving at greater depth for advanced divers. Million Dollar Point is a shallower, more accessible site with a completely different character: instead of one large wreck, it is a sprawling debris field of individual vehicles and equipment. Most visiting divers do both sites. The Coolidge is the headline act for experienced wreck divers, while Million Dollar Point offers easier diving with an equally fascinating historical story.

Open Water divers can explore the upper deck sections at around 21-25 metres. The most popular areas including the promenade deck, cargo holds, and much of the exterior are accessible at 25-40 metres with Advanced Open Water certification. The famous Lady statue and deeper penetrations require Advanced certification and wreck diving experience. The deepest sections at the stern reach 73 metres and are technical diving territory.

The Coolidge struck two American anti-shipping mines while entering the Segond Channel near Luganville on 26 October 1942. The captain ran the ship aground to allow the 5,000 troops aboard to evacuate, and the vessel subsequently slid down the reef slope to its current resting position. Because the bow lies on the reef just offshore, divers can wade in from the beach at Million Dollar Point and swim directly to the wreck.