12-2019 Diving and Trekking in Espritu Santo

Hi from Clare,           12-2019 Diving and Trekking in Espritu Santo    18^th October 2019

THE ATTRACTION OF LUGANVILLE

Espritu Santo is the biggest island and its capital, Luganville, is the second largest town in Vanuatu. It is less developed than Port Vila but it has some much sort after tourist attractions. There is diving both Million Dollar Point and the wreck of the SS President Coolidge and also trekking to The Millennium Cave.

 Sunset in Luganville

MILLION DOLLAR POINT

Andrew and I, along with Ian and Cindy on ‘Oyster Reach’, dived Million Dollar Point named so because of the amount of equipment dumped there by the Americans at the end of WW2. The American Military offered to sell their surplus equipment to the British and French ruling countries. Thinking that the Americans would be forced to abandon the equipment and they would get it for free, they said “no deal”. Much to their surprise the Americans proceeded to build a long pier out into the channel east of Luganville and dump millions of dollars worth of equipment into the sea.

Million Dollar Point

 Some of the equipment

The dive site is up to 50 metres deep and we swam down 20 metres to see the huge pile of gear. There is said to be large jeeps, six-wheeler trucks, gigantic bulldozers, forklifts, semi-trailers, tractors, ambulances, large bound sheets of corrugated iron, sealed boxes of clothing and of course the crates of Coca-Cola. It was fascinating but quite distressing to see the waste and I couldn’t help but wonder how the military men felt dumping all this valuable equipment. It is said that the locals witnessing the bizarre act by the US military considered it to be an act of madness.

More Equipment

 Clare

SS PRESIDENT COOLIDGE

The next day we dived on the SS President Coolidge. This ship was built as a luxury liner and when WW2 broke out it was pressed into service as a troop carrier. When arriving into Luganville she hit two ‘friendly’ mines and subsequently sank. It took several hours for the vessel to sink and of the 5000 personnel on board only two lives were lost.

To get to the dive site we walked in off the beach. Getting in and out of the water was the hardest part of the dive. The water was very choppy with a large surge which knocked us off balance. It was necessary to wear our sandals walking on the dead coral and then change into our dive fins once in chest deep water. This was difficult with the additional weight of air tank and weight belt. Poor Andrew got the job of putting my fins on for me as I held onto the dive master. Once settled, the dive was easy but the visibility was poor. I’m not keen on wreck dives, I find them boring, I much prefer seeing tropical fish and coral. So although the Coolidge is recognised as one of the premier wreck dives and some enthusiasts do multiple dives on it, I haven’t changed my opinion of wreck dives. While Ian, Cindy and I went shopping, Andrew went for a second dive on the Coolidge with the dive master. They entered the wreck and saw tanks, trucks, aircraft fuel tanks, ammunition and a medical kit.

The Coolidge Interior

Some Medicine

MILLENNIUM CAVES OR NOT

The following day we all considered doing a trek to the Millennium Caves. In the end only Andrew and Cindy went as Ian had a tropical infection to his leg and I decided the all day trek was too strenuous for me. The trip is divided into four parts – trekking, caving, canyoning and swimming. Along with one other tourist and three guides they walked into the bush along narrow tracks, bamboo bridges and ladders before descending to the river and down into the cave. The cave has a high ceiling and is home to many nesting swallows and some bats, which they could see by torchlight. They waded through the river climbing over rocks and once out of the cave they stopped for lunch and a swim in a small water hole near a waterfall at the entrance.

 Ladders going up

Ladders going down

The Millennium Cave

So they then entered the canyoning portion of the trip. They climbed over and under boulders with the help of strategic hand and foot holds and then floated down the Sarakata river taking in the breath-taking scenery with jungle overhanging shear rock faces.

Canyoning

Floating down the river

Once out of the river there is a steep climb up to the ridge and the pathway back to the village. From here they walked another twenty minutes to the village where the car was and a forty five minute drive back to the boat. Andrew arrived home around 6pm after a very long a strenuous day. At times he said his leg muscles where shaking from the exertion and he said I wouldn’t have enjoyed the day – I’m sure he is right:)

SO WHAT'S NEXT

So we all having a quiet day today just relaxing on our boats. We are in a very pretty bay which is very calm. Tonight we are having a sun downer with Ian and Cindy on ‘Oyster Reach’. Ian’s leg wound has improved and so tomorrow we will move a little further north and explore some new territory. We plan to be back in Port Vila around the end of the month. We will then start thinking about packing the boat up and flying home in mid November.

Love Candy xx