A ghost, a silhouette is formed meter by meter. There was nothing in the blue when suddenly a structure was discovered. As if by magic. This moment is always a visual shock. The second a ship, plane or submarine sinks, it is about to resurface. Because on its iron and steel carcass, in its smallest cracks, algae, larvae, juvenile fish will come to enter, develop and find precious shelter from predators.
Inside will live the shoots of fish, often hidden in the recesses of the ceilings. Moray eels, eels will sneak into the passages. Nudibranchs will live there, flora will flourish there, soft corals and gorgonians will wrap their crowns to feed in the tropical currents. To dive on a shipwreck is to enjoy the moment, the beauty of the site, its colors. Then, back on land, we delve into the archives and history books.
SS President Coolidge, Vanuatu
History: Men in tuxedos smoked cigars in the salons, while women in long gowns chatted quietly in lavish boudoirs lit by crystal chandeliers. Requisitioned during World War II, this 199-meter-long luxury ship, accustomed to the San Francisco-Asia route, was converted by the US government into a troop transport. 1942 On 26 October, while on her way to refuel Guadalcanal with the country’s only supply of quinine, she ran over two mines while approaching the island of Espiritu Santo. The captain pulls the steamer ashore and 5,340 people are evacuated. For the morale of the American public, Roosevelt affirms that the mines are Japanese, while they are American.
Sidewalk. Accessible from the beach, the wreck lies on its side between -25 and -73m. The most impressive. Huge closets are filled with stacked jeeps and tanks (-40m), guns and, in the hospital, syringes. Visit bridges, cabins, Captain’s bathroom, engine room, swimming pool (-57m). Allow 10 to 50 dives to appreciate this colossus.
To go With the Pacific specialist Ultramarina agency, taking care of flights, accommodation and diving.
As well as ? The Vanuatu archipelago offers many opportunities to hike volcanoes, discover local culture and ecosystems.
The Rainbow Warrior, off the North Island, New Zealand
History: On 10 July 1985, the DGSE (Directorate General for External Security) Operations Division undertook the sabotage of the Rainbow Warrior, a former trawler used by Greenpeace to disrupt nuclear tests at Auckland Harbor in French Polynesia. The death of photographer Fernando Pereira, the imprisonment of French spies and the lies of the Mitterrand government belong to the political history of our country.
Sidewalk. On 12 December 1987, at Paihia, 200 km north of Auckland, the 40-metre vessel, which had become unusable, was voluntarily scuttled off the Kawalli Islands during a moving ceremony at a site chosen by the Maori. It rests at a depth of 27 meters in cold, green water. The rainbow that decorated the bow gradually lost its colors. But a new rainbow is born. corals and anemones intertwine with colorful sponges. Fish, sea urchins, eels, tube worms offer him a second and peaceful multicolored existence. A virtual visit is recommended at rainbow-warrior.info/en/Matauri-Bay to project yourself there.
To go New Zealand à la carte and Bay of Islands Tourism Office. bayofislandsinformation.co.nz
As well as ? The memorial dedicated to him should be seen. At the top of Mataa Uri hill stands a stone arch surmounted by a spiral.
SEE FILE – New Zealand. travel guide Figaro
SS Thistlegorm, Egypt
History: he is located Silent world, the Palme d’Or at Cannes in 1956 (Malle/Cousteau), with its impressive 120 mm anti-aircraft gun. She is the wreck of the Thistlegorm, lying 30 meters down on the sandy bottom. The forward section is fairly straight, with two tank cars and two wagons placed on the deck, the stern sloping to port. Between the two is Ship No. 4, which was damaged by German bombs dropped by Heinkel He 111s on October 6, 1941, while this British Merchant Navy freighter was on top of the Sinai.
Sidewalk. don’t hesitate to walk away from the wreck to get a better sense of its dimensions (126.5 meters) and go see the LMS Stanier Class F8 locomotive resting on the sand (-31 meters) then the propeller before climbing the wedges. Filled with BSA M20 and Norton 16H motorcycles, Bedford trucks, Bren Gun Carrier infantry tanks, MkII tanks, this Ali Baba cave is a true museum. Perfect stabilization of the diver is essential to prevent sediments from mixing and impairing visibility. The entire coral fauna and flora of the Red Sea has sunk.
To go Established in Egypt for over 30 years, the French-speaking companies Seafari and Dune take you there on a diving cruise from February to November. Prices vary depending on the season and type of boat selected (standard or luxury).
Our advice: dive with Nitrox, which guarantees less tissue saturation. Avoid peak season as the site can be very crowded.
Truk Lagoon, Micronesia
History: The US retaliatory response to Pearl Harbor is called Operation Hail, with heavy bombing and naval and submarine attacks destroying Imperial Japanese Army bases, the Chuuk Archipelago, Micronesia, on February 17 and 18, 1944.
Sidewalk. 60 buildings, 275 planes were destroyed. In no place in the world are gathered so many warships: corvettes, trucks, fighters, trucks, weapons, ammunition, motorcycles, tanks… An indescribable arsenal. Most famous wrecks: Francisco Maru, Nipo Maru, Kensho Maru (freighters), Fujikawa Maru (carriers), Shinkoku Maru (tankers), I-169 (submarine).
To go With Pacific à la carte.
Our advice: allow at least three weeks to savor as many ruins as possible. Some are very deep, plan days without diving to avoid decompression sickness. On land, discover remnants of the war, visible though overrun by lush vegetation.
Submarine U-171, between Groix and Lorient
Story it is called Unterseeboot 171 (U-171). On October 9, 1942, Lorrier was hit in the front by a floating mine while returning to port, this submarine landed at a depth of 42 meters. Trapped inside, 13 men managed to escape using self-contained breathing apparatus and rise to the surface. A real feat.
Sidewalk. the dive is accomplished by descending along a cable into the cool, greenish water, which gives the structures and 6-meter-high stall a ghostly appearance. Declared a military cemetery in 1999, it is strictly forbidden to enter the interior of the submarine.
To go Sunday morning (8.45am) from Larmor-Plage with Sellor Nautisme. Such. 02 97 33 77 78. €39 for equipped diver. Level III required.
As well as ? Pays de Lorient Underwater Museum. Davis Tower. Keroman submarine base.
Source: Le Figaro
