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Solomon Islands
Migration from all directions over thousands of years has combined with a scattered, comparatively isolated population to produce a country rich in cultural diversity. Melanesians, Polynesians, Asians, Micronesians and the odd Westerner all call the Solomons home, imbuing the islands with a variety of islander traditions unrivalled in the Pacific.
Travelling to the Solomon Islands remains an adventure even today, however the varied attractions upon arrival more than compensate even the most jaded explorer. Divers lured to the Solomons by the promise of extraordinary natural features will not be disappointed.
Despite its long, often bloody history, most historical interest in the Solomons surrounds its pivotal role as a strategic site in the Pacific in WWII. The number of WWII naval wrecks in the waters of Iron Bottom Sound are testament to the ferocity and destructive power of battle.
With a total population of 300,000 there are very few cities and most people still live a very basic life in the villages. Tourism is only starting to discover this precious part of the Pacific.
The Second World War came to the Solomons like a nightmare. The historic naval battles between Japanese and allied soldiers are well documented. More then fifty years later, the remains of the battles are still scattered around the sea bottom and the forests. For divers there is the double fascination of visiting historic sites, few people will ever see and the beauty of the wrecks that are hosts to colourful reefs and dense fish life.
In 1978 the Solomon Islands gained independence as a nation and only since the early 1990's the country started opening to tourism.
Today, tourism is becoming an increasingly important economic factor. Apart from War veterans, it is predominantly divers who travel to the Solomons. Other popular outdoor activities could keep you busy for months. There's bushwalking, canoeing, mountain and volcano climbing, swimming, surfing, fishing, shell-collecting, bird-watching, caving and mountain biking, enough to keep even the most dedicated adventurer sated.
Climate
You can expect a very warm and humid climate all year round. The rainy season spans from December until April. Air temperatures are between 28°C and 32°C (82-90°F).
Water temperature is between 23°C (July/August) and 27°C (December/January) (72-82°F). The best time for travelling is between July and December.
Locations
Gizo is the capital and Provincial Centre of the Western Province of the Solomon Islands, bordering Papua New Guinea. During WWII its people assisted in the rescue of the crew of PT-109 and John F. Kennedy. Gizo is surrounded by numerous coral atolls, offering private, secluded beaches, unlimited snorkelling and fabulous diving opportunities.
In Gizo you get a good variety of diving wrecks and reefs. Here are a few dive site descriptions.
- Kennedy Wall: A superb wall dive off the historic island where the late US President JFK and the crew of the PT109 swam to after being rammed by a Japanese destroyer. With excellent visibility, this wall, covered in a kaleidoscope of soft corals, dips down to 40 metres and hosts good pelagic action.
- Olasana Reef: A photographer's dream. A sloping reef dive revealing a vast array of hard and soft corals. Ubiquitous for huge "elephant's ears sponges" and plentiful fish life, it also hosts several colonies of garden eels on its sandy bottom. Turtles are often seen, as Olasana Island is one of their resting sites.
- Naru Gap: At one of the entrances to Gizo lagoon, "The Gap" experiences great water flows with the changing of the tides. As a result, it has, most aptly, gained a reputation for BIG pelagic fish action.
- Grand Central Station: A popular and well-recognised dive site. On its day, Grand Central is unquestionably, one of the best fish dives in the world. After dropping down some of the 50+ metre wall, the experience begins as a stunning drift dive. Once the point is reached, however, divers are encouraged to simply stop and watch. It is at this point that nearby currents merge - schools of barracuda, assorted sharks, eagle rays and mantas cruise by and appear to just 'hang' in the current. Even the great Orca has been sighted at this spot. The dive does not finish here. While slowly ascending rainbows of soft and hard corals filter through from behind abundant fish species, making this dive site a photographer's paradise.
- Tao Maru: Without a doubt, one of the most intact and dive-able wrecks in the Solomon's. A 6700 ton Japanese Transport, she was attacked by American Air Bombers on Jan 31 1943 causing her to ignite and sink some days later. She now lies, on her starboard side with depths ranging from 12 to 39 meters at the stem. With a length and beam of 446 and 58 feet respectively, she is a formidable dive, well worth more than one been-there-done-that-dive. An overall view of the wreck reveals trucks, ammunition, bottles, a tank and a lot more.
Uepi Is.
Rarely will you view such high concentration of fish, sponges and corals. You dive in a diverse environment, ranging from lagoonal coral gardens to vertical drop-offs of over 600 metres. If you want to see big fish - this is your place. If you are after rare tropical marine critters - you'll find them here.
Depending on the currents, you can do some thrilling drift dives or just stay stationary at one of the deep points, attach your reef hook and watch the food chain in front of you. If you are after adventurous and more advanced diving, don't forget to ask for the sink hole!
- Uepi Pier: Rated as one of the best shore dives yet you'll see a variety of game fish and large cow tail rays resting on the sand, whilst under continual surveillance by the resident grey whalers. The wall is great for a night dive with common sightings of sponge crabs, spindle cowries, basket stars, hawk fish ...the list goes on! Has anybody seen a gorgonian fan larger than 18.5 feet across?
- The Elbow: A sheer wall dropping to well over 600m with two distinct projections festooned with hard and soft corals. The colour of the soft corals and their associated fishlife will fascinate the night diver. Keep an eye seaward as you are bound to see a variety of creatures swim by, including eagle rays, tuna, barracuda, king trevally, darts and of course sharks - particularly the seasonal hammerheads.
- Elbow Caves: Deep gutters through the reef wall, almost totally enclosed in sections, make this dive memorable. A large school of diamond fish hides the entrance to one cavern often with barracuda flying through for a meal. Between the gutters, the upper wall curves inward forming ledges with abundant fans and dripping webs of sponges. Again, keep one eye seaward for those travelling pelagics, but be sure you don't miss the resting turtle, commonly found here.
- North Log and South Log: At times the wall seems so steep as to curve inwards. You won't be alone along this wall. Each site has its interest in caverns and ledges. North Log in particular has ledges profuse in coral life and associated aquarium fish including damsels, pullers and basslets. A superb night dive on these ledges, their ceilings blanketed in small soft corals. A night dive on South Log is always remembered for its glittering schools of flashlight fish and the innumerable crustaceans.
Honiara
Guadalcanal was witness to fierce naval battles during WW2 and was the turning point in the Pacific's campaign. "Iron Bottom Sound" is host to literally hundreds of wrecks. Troop carriers, transport ships, submarines and planes provide an incredible range of dive sites. Facilities are also available to cater to divers wishing to dive with nitrox, Deep Air diving as well as trimix diving for those qualified. Some of the more popular dive sites from Honiara are:
Hirokawa Maru (Bonegi I) - A Japanese transport ship of 6860 tons, with an overall length of 508 feet. An excellent dive starting in 10 feet (3m) plunging to 140 feet (55m).
Kinugawa Maru (Bonegi II) - This 436 foot long Japanese transport ship still rests partly above water, with the stern in 90 feet (27m). Excellent for snorkellers and divers.
U.S.S. John Penn - is an advanced dive only when conditions permit. She is an American troop/cargo ship lying in 120ft (36m) to 140ft (55m) of water, off Henderson field.
For the more experienced divers, some of the most fascinating wrecks are; U.S.S Kanawha, Sasako Maru, Azumasan Maru and the U.S.S. Aaron Ward.
All wrecks in the Solomons are National Heritage and the pilfering of these wrecks is not allowed.
Worldwise
Getting to the Solomons involves a long flight, factor that into your planning. A liveaboard may be the best way to explore this island group. Most liveaboards do not do much around Guadalcanal - there are land based operators who do. In 2001 there was unrest in this area, particularly Guadalcanal. Currently this seems to have passed, but do check with the Foreign Office site for up to date information. Check on malarial protection with your doctor.
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War and Peace
Scuba Diving Magazine's Guide to the Solomon Islands
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