Million Dollar Point

At the end of WW II the Americans, 100,000 of whom had been based on the Vanuatu Island of Santo (pop. today less that 20,000) offered to sell a mountain of equipment to the British and French colonial powers. As New Hebrides, the nation was ruled jointly with two legal systems two police forces etc. Neither took up the offer so the Americans bulldozed the lot into the waters off Luganville (the major town). This included scuttling a major passenger liner the SS President Coolidge which lies peacefully a mere 5o metres off shore as a mecca for scuba divers. I don't scuba dive. I did spent two hours, however, snorkelling over acres of military equipment including bulldozers, forklifts, landing craft etc etc. It was remarkable. Now home to tropical fish and masses of new coral growing in colourfull displays over every surface.

My moment of panic came as I cruised past a large landing craft and there lurking quietly below was a two metre barracuda, long snout and razor sharp teeth causing me to back paddle urgently and check in my rear vision mirror that I wasn't being stalked as lunch as I gently but purposefully headed for a new destination.