USS TUCKER - Espiritu Santo

The USS Tucker is one of those wrecks that really tells a story, a destroyer that found an untimely end in its own minefield back in 1942. We love that you can see her sitting upright, largely intact, in just 17 meters of water, making it accessible for most divers. You drop down onto the bow, often greeted by schools of fusiliers swirling around the mast, which is usually thick with them. We typically explore the bridge area first, where sergeant majors dart through the superstructure, before heading aft to the torpedo tubes. They're still there, big and imposing, often hosting a grumpy moray eel or a few lionfish tucked into the shadows. The scale of her is impressive, a 104-meter hull stretching across the sandy bottom. You can swim down the length of her, imagining the crew on deck, a powerful sense of history enveloping you. Our favourite detail has to be the gun emplacements; you can almost picture the 5-inch guns swivelling. It’s a dive that combines history with a really healthy dose of reef life, perfect for anyone who appreciates a good wreck dive without the need for extreme depths.

Location
Espiritu Santo, Vanuatu, Central & South Pacific
Coordinates
-15.641861, 167.088330
Type
wreck
Maximum Depth
17m

Marine Protected Area: Aore

Best Time to Dive in Espiritu Santo

The warmest water temperatures in Espiritu Santo occur in January, averaging 29.2°C. The coolest conditions are in December at 29.2°C.

Monthly Water Temperatures

  • January: 29.2°C (air: 25.9°C)
  • February: 29.2°C (air: 26.0°C)
  • March: 29.2°C (air: 25.6°C)
  • April: 29.2°C (air: 25.5°C)
  • May: 29.2°C (air: 24.8°C)
  • June: 29.2°C (air: 24.3°C)
  • July: 29.2°C (air: 24.0°C)
  • August: 29.2°C (air: 23.7°C)
  • September: 29.2°C (air: 24.2°C)
  • October: 29.2°C (air: 24.8°C)
  • November: 29.2°C (air: 25.2°C)
  • December: 29.2°C (air: 25.7°C)

Nearby Dive Sites in Espiritu Santo

Nearest Dive Centres to USS TUCKER

Marine Life in Espiritu Santo

Home to 296 recorded species including 247 reef fish, 15 sea snails & nudibranchs, 14 sea cucumbers, 4 clams & mussels, 4 crabs & lobsters, 3 whales & dolphins.

Notable Species

Recommended Packing List for USS TUCKER

Based on average water temperature of 29.2°C.

  • Shorty or Rashguard - warm 29°C water needs minimal exposure protection
  • Mask - essential for every dive
  • Fins
  • BCD - buoyancy compensator
  • Regulator - your most safety-critical piece of gear
  • Dive Computer - tracks depth, time, and NDL
  • Surface Marker Buoy (SMB) - essential for boat pickups
  • Dive Torch - useful for crevices and colour at depth
  • Underwater Camera - capture your diving memories