Bonege 1 is photo heaven

I haven't been diving for a couple of months, and today I was determined to practice my underwater photography. I was pretty pleased with the results. I still have heaps to learn, but these are a big step forward.

Coral Garden as far as the eye can see - Kombuana Island

To the west of a small island in the Solomon Islands hides a magnificent coral garden which is rarely visited by scuba divers. Before you can enjoy this treasure of the deep, you need to gain permission from the customary owners.

Kombuana Island is to the north-western end of the Florida Group of islands. It is about an hour by dive boat from Maravagi Resort, which is the closest tourist accommodation to this hidden gem. Kombuana Island is inhabited by a small village. Outsiders are required to pay a Kastom Fee to be allowed to dive on their reef. To pay the Kastom Fee, one anchors in shallow water as close to shore as the tide and your vessel will allow.

The Chief of the village will come to the shore to meet you. You can tell him apart from the other villagers as he will be the best dressed. When you request permission to dive on his reef, he will tell you how much Kastom fee you need to pay per diver. It is a good idea to keep your cash hidden until you actually pay, as the fee requested may increase if you appear to be able to pay more.

Don’t try to cheat and dive for free. The village has several canoes, and the Chief and the village men will come out to ask for the money. There is no industry on tiny Kombuana Island, and the rare diving party is one of the few sources the village has for earning cash to buy things they cannot make, and must buy in shops. Cash is needed for relative luxuries as kerosene to light lamps at night.

The dive is worth the effort of this little side track.

The dive starts with a wall, at whatever depth you plan. The wall is covered with fan corals, soft corals and small, brightly coloured reef fish. Ensure you look out into the blue, as curious black tipped reef sharks will cruise past to see what strange creatures have invaded their domain. The crevices in the wall are home to numerous sea creatures and provide many opportunities for underwater photographers with their macro lenses set.

Divers usually use the time for their safety stop to spend a few minutes exploring the reef shallows. With this dive it is recommended to keep half your tank to explore the coral garden in the shallows between the wall and the shore of the island.

As you ascend above the wall you are met with a view of picturesque coral garden as far as the eye can see. You can drift slowly above the coral, exploring the coral and sea life for over half an hour and still have more coral garden to explore.

The coral appears to have been arranged as in a formal garden, with large expanses of corals from the same family clumped together, separated by a shallow valley from the next clump of corals from a different family. Hidden in the valleys and between corals are numerous giant clams, their shells open to reveal the almost neon coloured molluscs inside. As you raise your head from the corals to look around, large hump head parrot fish saunter slowly past, parading their brilliant blue and green livery.

At the end of the dive, you will have a large collection of photos to add to your dive log, and to share with your dive buddies who were not lucky enough to enjoy this unique dive.

Rennell Island

Rennell Island surrounds the world heritage listed Lake Tungano. This lake is actually a volcano crater, and the island is the rim of the crater. There are only four of these in the world.

The photos in the Rennell Island album were taken in February 2007 during a court circuit visit to the island. The people of Rennell and Belloma Islands are Polynesian with a distinct culture.

If any reader has scuba dived there, please let us know in the comments block below.

Where is it and how do I get there?

Rennell Island is approximatley 100km south of Honiara in the Solomon Islands. Solomon Airlines flies there once a week from Honiara. There are a number of small guest houses on the island, mainly surrounding Lake Tungano.

Bonege Beach

Bonege Beach is a popular beach for day trips from Honiara for divers, snorkelers, families and anyone wanting to get away from town for a while.


There are actually three beaches known as Bonege Beach - Bonege 1, Bonege 2 and Bonege 3. Bonege 1 and 2 and are accessed through a gateway with a hut beside the entry way. All beaches are on custom land owned by the people of Bonege village - thus the name - and you are required to pay a small "custom fee" to use the beaches.


Bonege 3 is further up the road and is more isolated. The villagers don't attend that beach and it is not visible from the road. I wouldn't recommend going there except to dive the B17 plane wreck there.


To get to Bonege 1 you turn to the right after the custom fee hut and follow the track along until you come to the beach. Take it slowly along the single car track as there is often a vehicle coming the other way.


Bonege 1 has a large tree covered beach front and a coral/gravel beach. It is always cool there due to the sea breeze. The view is from Honiara to the east, across to the Florida Group of islands (Ngella), to Savo Island and then further west along the coast of Guadalcanal.


Looking out over this picturesque and serene seascape, it is difficult to believe that this area was once the scene of one of the most savage and bloody sea battles of World War II. This expanse of water is called Iron Bottom Sound due to the number of ships, planes and submarines which were sunk here during the war. Some older Solomon Islanders who were children during World War II describe the noise and the fighting as terrifying, even though it wasn't directed at them.


There are coral covered rocks scattered across the waterfront shallows from right to left as you face the beach. If you follow the rocks or the drop-off along to the west you come to an underwater wreck which has a large section in relatively shallow water which is great for snorkelers. My son first snorkeled that area when he was five. He seemed more excited about finding Nemo than seeing part of the wreck. The wreck then tapers off into deeper water, which is great for divers.


There is a hut at this beach with bench seats which are useful for gearing up for a dive.


Bonege 2 is reached by turning to the left close to the waterfront and then driving along the beachfront until you reach a spot to park and set up. This beach has a wreck which is still partially above water, so it is easy to locate for diving and snorkeling.


There is a shady patch close to the beach around the spot where there is a portion of the wreck on the high tide mark. On the western side of this portion of wreck is a sandy beach which is suitable for smaller children and others of us with delicate pads of our feet.


Both of these beaches are fairly popular on weekends. The mornings are best for swimming and diving, before the sea breeze picks up and creates a bit of chop on the water.



Where is it and how do I get there?


The Bonege beaches are west of Honiara on Guadalcanal Island in the Solomon Islands. Allow just over half an hour to drive there. You can also get there with dive operators on guided dive tours.

Diving the Twin Tunnels

The Twin Tunnels are actually two lava tubes which start at the edge of a wall and rise up through the wall to the plateau at the top. One is wider and shorter than the other, but either can be comfortably dived with all gear on even sizable divers.

Twin Tunnels is a fascinating dive. The site is located south offshore from Tulagi. The dive starts at about 20 metres and is about 30 metres at the bottom.

The divers choose the tunnel and descend through the wall, then explore the sea wall, fish and corals. It is usual to turn right as you exit the tunnel, as that is in the direction of the dive boat mooring bouy, and slowly ascend as you explore the wall and then the plateau. However, I have found the swim to the left is more interesting.

At the entrance to the smaller tunnel there are two live giant clams. One is white and is well camouflaged against the sand. The area is adrift with fish of a large number of species, including the neon spotted queen fish. There are numerous gorgonian fans, the favourite home of the pygmy seahorse, but I have never managed to spot one - anywhere. I must get brave enough to dive with contact lenses one day soon.

This is one of my favourite dives, for the unique experience of descending through the tunnels, as well as the beautiful marine life.

This dive can be reached by day trip from Honiara, as part of a stay at Tulagi, or on route to other dive sites further west in the Florida Group.

Japanese Sea Plane Near Tulagi

This is a good dive for when the conditions are too rough to dive from Tulagi in more exposed waters.

I have done this dive twice. The second time there was a 30 knot gale blowing. Not pleasant to be on a boat anywhere. However, this wreck is in the lee of a small island between Tulagi and Dolphin Island, quite close to Dolphin Island. We set off from Dolphin Island to "have a look" and see what the conditions were like. To our surprise and joy the sea was flat as a pancake. We quickly donned our gear and jumped in.


The plane is lying upright on the sand, with relatively little damage. Part of one wing has separated, but is still close by, and there is a large hole in the starboard side. This hole is a great spot to see baby fish hiding from predators. A couple of coral trout cruise in and out of the plane openings. A bright blue starfish is perched on the nose of the lane, in stark contrast to the green-grey-brown surface of the wreck.

An interesting feature is the seating of the pilot and co-pilot. The Japanese pilots must have been tiny - were they kids? One can't imagine how a grown man could fit in the small spaces between the seats and the controls.

Dolphin Island

I have been to Dolphin Island three times now. The first time I went was because two dives I hadn't done were part of the trip as an option for divers.

You may have noticed that I am a dolphin lover. The main reason I hadn't gone to Dolphin Island before was because the people who run Dolphin Island also export live dolphins. While I think it's great that people all over the world can see live dolphins and appreciate what magnificent animals they are, I don't believe in transporting dolphins in a manner in which they are injured or killed. That is probably the only political comment you will read on this blog.

The trips I have done include the two hours or so boat trip from Honiara and back, a BBQ lunch, feeding the dolphins and swimming and/or snorkeling with them.

When we tied up at the wharf on arriving at the island we were greeted by staff in smart matching shirts. We were taken to a large leaf hut where the itinerary of the day was described.

There were three dolphin feeding sessions. The guests were shown how to feed the dolphins in the manner in which they had been trained. Each dolphin had been trained to go to one of the two feeding posts. I sat back and watched from the leaf hut. After the feeding session, people were allowed to go into the main pond and swim and snorkel with the dolphins. I felt very uneasy about that.

I watched the people and the dolphins swimming around. It didn't take me long to realise the dolphins were swimming up to the people, having a look and swimming off before going up to someone else to check them out. People took it in turns to swim in the pond with the dolphins in small groups. As each new group entered the water, I watched the obviously startled snorkelers turn this way and that as a dolphin swam past.

I was relieved - the dolphins were enjoying the visitors!

I donned my snorkeling gear and went for a swim with my favourite animals. I snorkeled around for a few minutes peering through the silty water, trying to get my first glimpse. I could hear the dolphins' calls, seemingly very close. I turned my head to the direction I thought I heard that call, and another direction for another call. I eventually swam in a circle trying to spot the dolphins. Suddenly a dolphin appeared out of the silt and swam past me only inches away. I turned to follow it with my head, and then it was gone. Suddenly another dolphin appeared and laughed at me as it disappeared. I gave up trying to spot them. I just drifted around waiting for the dolphins to come for a chat. Sometimes they swam past slowly, chattering away, tilted slightly to one side. I imagine they were saying something like "Giggle, you humans look so funny and awkward in the water, giggle."

A couple of the dolphins taught one of the guests a game. They swam around her in circles, gradually increasing their speed until she couldn't keep up with them. They then stopped the game for a moment and started again, and again, and again. Later in the day they tried to teach her to stand on her head in the water - a feat she tried but just couldn't master, to the obvious enjoyment of both human and dolphin.

On the next trip I took my son.The thrill he got from snorkeling with the dolphins and seeing and hearing them up so close was priceless. He stayed with his head in the water for ages - about three-quarters of an hour, until the dolphins had obviously finished their game.

Later he sat with two other children on the floating walkway next to a pen which held three dolphins which had recently been brought in from the wild. The children patted their hands gently on the water and the wild dolphins swam up to them. Then, to my amazement, the dolphins lifted their heads out of the water and let the children stroke their heads. What an awesome experience.

On the third trip I was sitting on the floating walkway beside the main pond trying - unsuccessfully - to get a photo of the dolphins teasing a swimmer. I looked down as two dolphins surfaced beside me. A mother and new baby, and the baby was suckling! Another wow moment. This time I was fast enough with the camera to catch them as they swam away.







Where is it and how do I get there?

Dolphin Island is beside the bay where Tulagi is on Ngele, about two hours north of Honiara by boat.

Invader Charters runs day trips periodically. Tulagi Dive can take visitors there as part of the diving tour. I am sure there are other means of getting there, but I don't know who runs them.

Visale

There is a lovely beach in the backyard of a village just past a larger village called Visale. It is also the beach entry point for what is known as the Visale Submarine Dive, even though it is not actually Visale.


The villagers are Catholic, so if you visit on a Sunday, please respect their Sabbath and try not to be too intrusive.


They are very friendly and hospitable. The man in charge of taking care of visitors to their beach is named Anthony. He is from a village on the Weathercoast, which suffered violence for different reasons, but during the same period of time, as the the Ethnic Tensions. He married a woman from the village which owns the beach and they have a number of lovely children.


Before the Tensions, Anthony met an Australian man who catches and exports live fish for aquariums when Anthony was working as a driver in Honiara. The man asked Anthony to be his guide and gave him the opportunity to try scuba diving when they went to Western Province to obtain fish specimens. The man seemed to appreciate Anthony's dedication and willingness to try scuba diving, and took Anthony to Cairns where he undertook a PADI scuba diving course. This man returns to Honiara periodically and Anthony helps him on those occasions. Having said that though, I wouldn't expect Anthony to be a dive guide to the sub. Not only haven't I verified his diving qualifications, but Anthony does not have scuba diving equipment.


The village children are charming. On one visit to their beach the girls tried to teach my son (then five) to paddle a traditional wooden canoe. They eventually gave up after much instructing and laughter and took him for a ride in the canoe around the lagoon.



Sorry for the photo quality - it was a very overcast day.




Where is it and how do I get there?



Visale is west of Honiara. There is a large Catholic church and a school. To get to the small village where the beach and the submarine are, you keep driving until you pass the second white cross. Very close after the second white cross is a village with a large clearing on the right. There is usually also a sign attached to a tree saying "Sub Dive".

How long it takes to drive there depends on the condition of the road. When I first came here two years ago the road was incredibly potholed and the drive took two hours. Just after the road was mended and some new bridges were completed, the drive took 45 minutes. Allow about an hour these days. You can also get there with the operators of guided dives either by boat or in their vehicle.

Maravagi

Personally, if I want 5 star I stay at home and go to a fancy restaurant. I travel to see and experience places and events which I can't do at home. If you insist on 5 star when you travel then DON'T go to Maravagi.

I LOVE Maravagi.

It is beautiful. It is quiet. The people are friendly and helpful. The company is fun. I can go diving while my son is cared for by his Nanny and he is having a great time - no guilt! And then there are ........

MANTA RAYS

Unfortunately I have never been on the Manta dive with an underwater camera. However, the Invader Charters website has photos and video of them. I can personally testify they are real. I can also testify the photos and videos on the Invader Charters website are nothing like the real thing. You have to experience it!

You can see the Mantas on Invader Charters website at -

http://www.invadercharters.com.au/galleries.html

Also I will be posting a story about diving the Devil's Highway as Invader Charters team calls it to try to describe just what a fantastic experience it is.

There are a number of dive sites within dive boat distance of Maravagi. Look in my diving category for just some of them.

Other reasons to go to Maravagi include - getting away from it all; seeing another part of the Solomons; snorkelling; fishing; and extreme surfing.

At least two different teams of reporters and camera crews have been to Maravagi in the last two years to surf in the wild. At certain times of the year the swell picks up on the northern shores of the islands creating incredible surf. Some of these surfing locations can only be reached by boat - some reefs are too far from any island to paddle out.

The Maravagi Resort is owned and operated by the local community of Solomon Islanders. They are gradually building up the resort over time. The picture in the First Trip to Maravagi post was taken in the first quarter of 2007. Since then they have built a few new leaf huts along the shoreline and a new toilet block close to the restaurant.

The restaurant is the main gathering, drinking and chatting area. It is also the only place where meals are served. The photo below shows the amount of work that went into the traditional decorations inside. I took this photo with my back to the bay and looking through the eating area towards the bar.

The furniture is modest, but comfortable. In the evenings the guests usually rearrange the tables into one long table so that everyone can chat, get to know each other and exchange stories about the days' adventures.

The food is simple, but delicious (especially if you like fish!) Sausages, eggs, toast, baked beans etc feature on the menu for breakfast. Lunch is a selection of wet dishes which usually includes a fish dish, a chicken and a beef. If in doubt, pick the fish. You won't get fish this fresh back home in your westernized city! The evening meal is always a buffet. This includes soup and bread for starters, a similar choice of wet dishes to the lunch menu plus sausages, with local fruit and vegetables cooked or prepared as salads. Dessert is something simple that you might remember from your childhood, like fruit and homemade custard.

John and Mary provide most of the service. John takes the orders and brings the food out from the kitchen. Mary usually serves at the bar. Other members of the local village work in the kitchen and prepare the rooms.

The rooms consist of two types - small huts with two sleeping rooms and a shared bathroom, or rooms in a long hut with one bathroom per room located at the back of the room. The rooms usually include a double bed and a single bed. There are ceiling fans or table fans (which sometimes don't work) and mosquito nets. I prefer the huts as there is more breeze. The screens on the windows tend to keep the mosquitoes out, but take and use a repellent. The beds are clean and reasonably comfortable. Each room has internal access to a bathroom with a shower and flush toilet. Be warned that there is no hot water. However I have never found this to be a problem as the ambient temperature is almost always warm and the water comes out at about the same temperature.

The resort does have an office phone but there are no phones or TV's for the guests. There is a reliable supply of electricity as the resort has a generator. The dive operator brings snorkelling and diving gear and guests sometimes bring board games etc for amusement. The main activities though are - relaxing, enjoying good company and maybe making new friends, diving, snorkelling, swimming, exploring the island by foot, relaxing and enjoying. The resort did not have a dive shop the last time I was there, but is planning to have one soon.


There are a number of beautiful spots to discover and explore, like the one above. Further around from this little beach is a large one with thigh deep water out for quite a distance. This beach, like the beaches in front of the resort, is sheltered and out of the currents, so this makes a particularly good spot for young children (with their parents of course!). It is also great for snorkellers who want to get beautiful photos of colourful reef fish.

I have been to Maravagi more than a dozen times. As I said at the beginning of this post, I love it. It is also readily accessible from Honiara where I live and work. I have always enjoyed the trip, even when I haven't been diving for whatever reason. However, the diving really makes it special.

Read about my First Visit to Maravagi


Where is Maravagi and how do you get there?

Maravagi is on Mangalonga Island in the western end of the Central Island Province or Florida Group of islands. It is north-north-west of Honiara in the Solomon Islands.

Invader Charters offers periodic weekend trips from Honiara. You can also contact Maravagi Resort direct and go over in their "banana boat" - a large fibreglass canoe with an outboard motor. The trip takes about three hours, depending on the weather conditions.

First trip to Maravagi

I first went to Maravagi about three or four months after I first came to the Solomon Islands. It was my first trip out of Honiara, so I was really looking forward to seeing some of the "real" Solomon Islands. I was totally taken by the pure beauty of the place.

We left Honiara on a boat called Invader II, a large boat with a beautiful large open covered deck on top to sit and chat while enjoying the sea breeze and the view of the islands of Central Province on the three hour trip across Iron Bottom Sound. The boat left at dawn from the wharf at Point Cruz in Honiara. The wharves were packed with people and their cargo heading to other islands.

On the trip over a large pod of dolphins played in the bow wake of the boat and jumped and surfed in the side wash. It seemed as though they were competing with each other for which one could stay in the bow wake the longest and which one could do the highest or fanciest jumps. My reflexes were just not fast enough to capture the show on camera.

During the weekend trip I swam and snorkelled and watched the fish cruising around the coral from the restaurant. I took these photos looking through the restaurant "windows" - the water is beautifully clear. This is what I was to later learn is called "great vis" by divers.

The snorkelling was great. My son, then four, expressed an interest in learning to snorkel, so I got a child's set of mask, snorkel and fins sent over later. The water is sooooo warm and clear you can stay in the water for ages exploring the small reefs within walking or swimming distance of the resort. The clarity of the water and the vivid blues and greens and whites of the scenery was breathtaking. I vowed to go back again soon.

Another incentive to go back was scuba diving. I remember as a young child my father, who was a travelling salesman, talking about the beauty of the Great Barrier Reef, and I used to beg him to take me. Later, when I was twelve, a cousin put his scuba gear on me so I could try it out in very shallow water in a bay in Moreton Island. Scuba diving became one of my "must do" things. It took a few decades before I actually got about to doing it.

On this trip were a few learner divers. I watched them gearing up for their lessons, and noted with envy the rapture with which they talked about their first adventures underwater. I decided I was finally going to do it! After all, I was in one of THE best places in the world for diving. I would only be experiencing half of the Solomons if I didn't explore underwater. I am soooooo glad I "took the plunge"!

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