Port Havannah

{{use dmy dates|date=August 2025}} {{Infobox settlement |name = Port Havannah |other_name = |native_name = |settlement_type = Village |image_skyline = |imagesize = |image_caption = |pushpin_map = Vanuatu |pushpin_label_position = left |pushpin_map_caption = Location in Vanuatu |subdivision_type = Country |subdivision_name = {{flag|Vanuatu}} |subdivision_type1 = Province |subdivision_name1 = Shefa Province |subdivision_type2 = Island |subdivision_name2 = Efate |leader_title = |leader_name = |established_title = |established_date = |area_total_km2 = ||population_as_of = 2009 |population_footnotes = |population_total = |population_density_km2 = |timezone = VUT |utc_offset = +11 |coordinates = {{coord|17|34|8.4|S|168|15|36|E|region:VU|display=inline,title}} |elevation_footnotes = |elevation_m = |elevation_ft = |website = |footnotes = }}

'''Port Havannah''', also known as '''Havannah Harbour''' or '''Havannah Bay''', is a port village on Efate Island in Vanuatu. The United States Army and US Navy had a base there during World War II, established in May 1942, which included an airstrip and seaplane base. Today it has interesting dive and snorkelling sites.

==History== ===Name=== The port was named after the 19th century Royal Navy vessel HMS ''Havannah'',<ref>{{cite web | title=Multi-Award Winning Resort | website=The Havannah Vanuatu | date=30 July 2025 | url=https://thehavannah.com/about-us | access-date=3 August 2025}}</ref> which travelled to the New Hebrides (now Vanauatu) in late 1850, and again as a missionary tour in May 1851.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article2961713 |title=SHIPPING NEWS. |newspaper=The Courier (Hobart) |volume=XXIII |issue=1634 |location=Tasmania, Australia |date=7 December 1850 |access-date=3 August 2025 |page=2 |via=National Library of Australia}} </ref><ref>{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article161035191 |title=NEW ZEALAND. |newspaper=The Shipping Gazette and Sydney General Trade List |volume=VIII |issue=381 |location=New South Wales, Australia |date=12 July 1851 |access-date=3 August 2025 |page=199 |via=National Library of Australia}} </ref><ref >{{cite web | publisher=National Library of New Zealand | first= John| last= Inglis| author-link =John Inglis (missionary)| title=Report of a missionary tour in the New Hebrides, &c., on board H. M. S. "Havannah," by the Rev. John Inglis, Reformed Presbyterian Missionary, New Zealand.— Continued from our last. | website=Papers Past | url=https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/NZ18510517.2.8?items_per_page=100&query=Hercules&snippet=true&sort_by=byDA | access-date=3 August 2025 |quote= From the ''Government Gazette''. ''New Zealander'', Volume 7, Issue 531, 17 May 1851, Page 3}}</ref><ref>Inglis, John. "[https://doi.org/10.2307/3014134 Report of a Missionary Tour in the New Hebrides]". ''Journal of the Ethnological Society of London'' (1848-1856) 3 (1854): 53–85.</ref><ref>{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article12927497 |title=MISSIONARY TOUR. |newspaper=The Sydney Morning Herald |volume=XXX |issue=4380 |location=New South Wales, Australia |date=30 May 1851 |accessdate=3 August 2025 |page=3 |via=National Library of Australia}}</ref>

===Early geological survey=== Between 1903 and 1905, one of the first major geological works of the region was produced by Australian geologist Sir Douglas Mawson.<ref name=samsynopsis>{{cite web | title=A synopsis of Mawson's life| publisher= South Australian Museum | website=Douglas Mawson | url=http://www.douglasmawson.com.au/synopsis.html | access-date=31 July 2025}}</ref> After spending from April to September 1903 exploring the islands with W.T. Quaife, Mawson produced a report which included the first geological maps of the island of Efate and of the south-west part of Santo.<ref name=jagopharoah2005>{{cite journal| journal=Earth Sciences History|title=Douglas Mawson's First Major Geological Expedition: The New Hebrides, 1903| url=https://pubs.geoscienceworld.org/hess/earth-sciences-history/article-abstract/24/1/93/614038/DOUGLAS-MAWSON-S-FIRST-MAJOR-GEOLOGICAL-EXPEDITION |date=1 April 2005| author1=J. B. Jago| author2= M. D. Pharaoh | author3=C. L. Wilson-Roberts |volume= 24 |issue=1| pp=93–111|doi =10.17704/eshi.24.1.f771465730u1w938| url-access=subscription}}</ref> Mawson's detailed report, "The Geology of the New Hebrides", was published in the ''Proceedings of the Linnean Society of New South Wales'' in December 1905.<ref>{{cite journal | last=Mawson | first=Douglas | title=The geology of the New Hebrides | journal=Proceedings of the Linnean Society of New South Wales | via=Smithsonian Institution | volume=30 | date=20 December 1905 | issn=0370-047X | doi=10.5962/bhl.part.12911 | doi-access=free | pages=400–485 | url=https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/partpdf/12911 | access-date=27 June 2025}}</ref> Among other details, Mawson described and included cross-section drawings of the raised coral reefs and the coralliferous limestone terraces of Steep Gully in at Havannah Harbour.<ref name=jagopharoah2005/> He also took photographs of geological features as well as taking extensive notes on the expedition, which are held in the Polar Collection of the South Australian Museum in Adelaide.<ref name=jagopharoah2005/> ===World War II=== thumb|Map of Efate Island showing military installations 27 July 1943 With Japanese forces establishing bases on Guadalcanal which threatened the sea route between the U.S. and Australia, Admiral King distributed the joint basic plan for the occupation and defense of Efate on 20 March 1942. Under its terms the US Army was to defend Efate and support the defense of ships and positions. The US Navy's task was: (1) to construct, administer and operate a naval advance base, seaplane base, and harbor facilities; (2) to support Army forces in the defense of the island; (3) to construct an airfield and at least two outlying dispersal fields; (4) to provide facilities for the operation of seaplane-bombers.<ref name=Bases>{{Cite book|title=Building the Navy's Bases in World War II History of the Bureau of Yards and Docks and the Civil Engineer Corps 1940-1946| publisher=US Government Printing Office|year=1947|url=https://www.history.navy.mil/content/history/nhhc/research/library/online-reading-room/title-list-alphabetically/b/building-the-navys-bases.html|page=202}}{{PD-notice}}</ref>

On 25 March 1942, the Army sent about 500 men to Efate from Noumea, and the 4th Defense Battalion, 45th Marines, arrived on 8 April. Elements of the 1st Naval Construction Battalion arrived on Efate on 4 May 1942.<ref name=Bases/>{{rp|204}}

====Seaplane base==== [[File:SOC Seagull at Havannah Harbour Efate 1943.jpg|thumb|right|An SOC Seagull at Havannah Harbour Efate 1943]] [[File:USS Denver (CL-58) enters Havannah harbour (Éfaté Island) on 22 April 1943.jpg|thumb|right|USS Denver (CL-58) enters Havannah Harbor on 22 April 1943]] A detachment of Seebees went north to Havannah Harbour to construct a seaplane base to serve a squadron of PBYs. The Seabees built two seaplane ramps of coral, surfaced with wire mesh, and provided buoys for mooring 14 seaplanes. By 1 June, the PBYs began operating from the new base, bombing the Japanese positions on Guadalcanal. In addition to the ramps and moorings, two small piers, two nose hangars, one {{convert|40|ft}} by {{convert|100|ft}} seaplane workshop, four 5,000-gallon underground gasoline tanks, and housing facilities for 25 officers and 210 men in quonset huts were constructed.<ref name=Bases/>{{rp|205}}

US Navy units based at the base included VP-71 operating PBYs, from 29 June to 20 July 1942.<ref name=DANAS>{{Cite book|title=Dictionary of American Naval Aviation Squadrons - Volume 2| publisher=Naval Historical Center|page=214}}{{PD-notice}}</ref>

The seaplane ''SON-1 Seagull'', Bureau Number 1184, crashed into the harbour on 16 June 1943, with both pilots rescued.<ref name=wreck>{{cite web | title=SON-1 Seagull Bureau Number 1184 | website=Pacific Wrecks | date=16 June 1943 | url=https://pacificwrecks.com/aircraft/soc/1184.html | access-date=3 August 2025}}</ref>

====Havannah Harbour Field==== In late 1942 the Seebees constructed a {{convert|3000|ft}} by {{convert|180|ft}} fighter airstrip at Port Havannah.<ref name=Bases/>{{rp|206}}

==Geography and tourism== Havannah Harbour, also known as Port Havannah or Havannah Bay, is located on the northwest coast of Efate Island to the south. It is opposite the islands of Moso to the north and Lelepa to the west. Matapu Bay is on the eastern side, Little Entrance is to the west, and Hilliard Channel on the southwest.<ref>{{cite web | title= Havannah Harbor (Port Havannah) | website=Pacific Wrecks | date=20 March 2022 | url=https://pacificwrecks.com/location/vanuatu_havannah_harbor.html | access-date=3 August 2025}}</ref>

===Diving=== Scuba diving and snorkelling are a popular pastimes for tourists, having shallow reefs as well as deep underwater canyons. The water is clear and marine life abundant.<ref>{{cite web | title=Reasons to Answer the Call of Vanuatu #1 | website=The Havannah Vanuatu | date=30 May 2020 | url=https://thehavannah.com/blog/reasons-to-answer-the-call-of-vanuatu-1 | access-date=3 August 2025}}</ref>

The wreck of the seaplane ''SON-1 Seagull'' remains a dive site.<ref name=wreck/>

==See also== *Bauerfield International Airport *Quoin Hill Airfield

==References== {{reflist}}

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Category:Populated places in Vanuatu Category:Shefa Province Category:World War II airfields in the Pacific Ocean theater Category:Airports in Vanuatu Category:Airfields of the United States Navy Category:1942 establishments in the New Hebrides

Category:1945 disestablishments in Oceania Category:Former installations of the United States Navy