MV Henry Bonnaud

The MV Henry Bonnaud is an advanced wreck dive off Espiritu Santo Island in Vanuatu — a deliberately sunk vessel resting at approximately 45 meters on the seafloor near Luganville, providing advanced and technical divers with a deep wreck experience that complements the world-famous SS President Coolidge in Santo's extraordinary collection of underwater diving sites. The Henry Bonnaud offers a more intimate and less visited wreck experience than the Coolidge, with the quieter character of a site that attracts experienced divers specifically seeking the depth and challenge of a 45-meter wreck dive. The advanced maximum depth of 45 meters requires proper decompression dive planning, advanced certification, and comfort with the nitrogen narcosis and gas management challenges associated with deep recreational diving. The wreck rests in the warm, clear water of Santo Harbour, with visibility typically good enough to appreciate the full exterior silhouette of the vessel from the ambient light available at depth. In the years since its deliberate sinking the Henry Bonnaud has been colonized by the encrusting organisms and coral community typical of Vanuatu's productive tropical waters: sponges and soft corals cover the hull surfaces, and the structural features of the vessel provide refuge and territory for various reef fish. Large grouper and coral trout occupy the prime structural positions with the confidence of well-established residents. The combination of depth challenge, wreck penetration opportunity, and the isolation and wild character of a less-visited site gives the Henry Bonnaud a distinct appeal for experienced Santo divers who have already exhausted the more accessible Coolidge sections. Luganville-based dive operators experienced in deep wreck diving run guided trips to the Henry Bonnaud for appropriately qualified divers.