Location: View Hotel Brisbane, Cnr Kingsford Smith Dr & Hunt St, Hamilton QLD 4007
Speaker: Carl Linkenbagh CEng CMarEng MIMarEST
Summary:
The SS PRESIDENT COOLIDGE was a passenger ship built for the Dollar Steamship Company (later American President Lines) by Newport News Shipbuilding. Entering service in 1931, the ship was homeported in San Francisco and used on the Trans-Pacific route to China, the Philippines and Japan via Honolulu. At 22'000 GRT and 200m in length with a turbo-electric propulsion system and with luxurious art deco fittings, she represented the best of American passenger ship design of the time.
Requisitioned as a troopship in 1941 following the outbreak of WW2, the ship was lost in Espiritu Santo (Vanuatu) on 26 October 1942 when she struck a friendly minefield at the entrance to the Segond Channel. Today, the ship is one of the largest ships accessible to recreational divers. Diving the wreck is a spectacular, awe inspiring experience. This presentation will provide an overview of the fascinating story of the ship, how and why she was lost, her condition today and some direct observations on what it is like to dive the wreck.
About the Speaker:
Carl Linkenbagh (CEng CMarEng MIMarEST) is a Senior Systems Engineer who specialises in maritime systems. His career started in 1999 as a Marine Technician in the Royal Australian Navy on amphibious ships and guided missile frigates and for the last 10 years he has worked as a Consultant on a variety of maritime projects for the Departments of Defence and Home Affairs. He holds Masters degrees in Systems Engineering and Project Management from UNSW Canberra. Carl relocated to Brisbane in late 2023 after one Canberra winter too many and in his spare time he drives heritage steam locomotives, rides road and mountain bikes and is a qualified Technical Diver and proud member of Global Underwater Explorers with a passion for historic shipwreck exploration.
Booking:
Join us online or in person by emailing your RSVP to Tom Ryan on [email protected]
