SS President Coolidge

Also known as: SS Coolidge · President Coolidge

The President Coolidge was built in 1931 as a passenger liner and converted into a troopship before it struck two friendly mines while entering the Segond Channel in October 1942; the captain beached her and only two lives were lost before she slid down the reef. The wreck is close to shore, so it can be dived from the beach as well as from a boat. Dive centres say a full exploration takes ten to fifteen dives, ranging from open-water routes near the bow to decompression and technical dives towards the stern. Inside, divers find a mix of liner fittings and military cargo such as jeeps, guns, helmets, chandeliers, a mosaic fountain and the well-known statue called The Lady. Coral now covers much of the hull, and barracuda, lionfish, turtles and moray eels live around it. Divers make their safety and decompression stops in small coral gardens laid out at about 5 m on the reef above.