President Coolidge Wreck

One of the largest dive wrecks in the world, the former luxury liner and converted troop ship lies just a few meters off a beach on the island of Espirito Santo, known simply as "Santo." The ship, fully laden with more than 5,000 U.S. troops, was sunk by mines in October 1942 at the height of World War II. All but two men were safely evacuated; however, the ship—which had been embedded on a reef—slowly slipped into the channel and today lies on her side in water varying in depth from 70 to 240 feet. More than 10 dives are needed to explore the entire ship, which was originally launched in 1931 as a 22,000-ton ocean liner. The wreck is suitable for novice and advanced divers, as novices can explore the shallow sections. Dive operators include Santo Island Dive (www.santodive.com) and Allan Power Dive Tours (www.allan-power-santo.com).