Underwater Post Vanuatu Post

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS


1. What makes the postcard waterproof?


The postcards are a synthetic product called Syntek and the weight is 340gsm. So a plastic like product. The Syntec material is basically made of a mixture of clay (calcium carbonate) and polypropylene resin. It is non-toxic and has the look, feel and printability of paper, plus the durability of plastic. They are tough, waterproof, tear-resistant, impervious to grease, oils, chemicals and the elements. They can also withstand high temperatures and humidity.

2. How does the underwater embossing work?


The embossing is done by a small hand held machine that makes raised areas in the shape of the cancellation.

3. The underwater post office is open for how many hours each day? How many people work there?


The Post Office is open for about one hour on most days, and longer if there is much interest. Usually one staff member in the Post Office but we always have some else in the water nearby for safety reasons. When the Post Office is not staffed there is a drop box that customers can swim down to and post the cards. We trained four of our staff to get their open water dive certificate, and sometimes the dive masters at Hideaway Island operate the Post office of our behalf.

4. What's so special about Hideaway Island and the marine life in Vanuatu?


Hideaway Island is a tropical atoll surrounded by pristine coral reefs teeming with thousands of different tropical fish in all colours shapes and sizes. Because the water is clean and free from urban run-off and agricultural waste the reef environment is flourishing with the different creatures of the reef all there in the correct amounts to make a balanced stable environment. Consequently there are huge anemones housing hundreds of clown fish, lots of different varieties of hard corals from spiky staghorns to large flat plates and beautiful fan corals too and thousands of fish, colourful filter feeders like star fish and sea cucumbers and Christmas tree worms. Although you see different things at different depths, it all starts right off the shore where the post office sits surrounded by coral, fish and other reef animals. Some images our on our and Hideaways web sites.

5. How has the underwater post office been received so far? What's the reaction?


The underwater post office has been extremely popular - with both the land lovers and the marine life. Not only have we had hundreds of people posting cards from it, the fish are starting to call it home and at one stage an octopus was eyeing off the post box next to the post office with a view to moving in. He eventually decided that he'd rather live in a nearby crevice and keep an eye on all the activity from there.