Solomon Islands ~ November 23 - December 5, 2010
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We’ve been twice before, and can’t wait to return. The Solomon Islands – situated east of Papua New Guinea, northeast of Australia and west of Fiji – offers outstanding biodiversity and a range of diving that's hard to beat.
With over a hundred islands covered in lush tropical jungle, the archipelago offers sheltered anchorages with stunning landscapes, rich history, and beautiful people.
You’ll be aboard Bilikiki, which pioneered liveaboard diving in the Solomon Islands.
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The waters offer an outstanding mix of world-class diving: healthy hard coral reefs, sheer walls with enormous fans, caverns and caves, current-swept passages, muck sites with their bizarre critters, bommies teeming with brilliant tropical fish, WWII and modern wrecks, pelagic dives, and a new manta dive that has just been added to the itinerary. All this in toasty warm waters with great viz and minimal dive tourism – so you'll have the sites to yourselves.
Spending 12 days at sea means there’s enough time for you to explore all three of main island groups: Florida Islands, Russell Islands, and Marovo Lagoon in the New Georgia Group. With 20 years of dive experience in the region’s waters, the Bilikiki crew have discovered countless gems to show you, these are just a few… |
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Mary Island / Barracuda Point
An isolated island halfway between the Russells and Morovo. We’ll spend 1-2 days here. The point has a resident large school of bigeye jacks and an enormous school of barracuda. Stakka fis (stacks of fish) swarm the pristine hard coral slope that drops away into the inky abyss. Grey reef, whitetip and blacktip sharks patrol the area, and distant rumbling underwater volcanic eruptions make this an unforgettable dive site.
Leru Cut
From a sheer wall, up in the shallows, is a spectacular split in the island. You can swim 60m (200’) into the cut, and surface right inside the jungle canopy. On the way back out, stop to look for electric clams, ghost pipefish and pygmy seahorses.
Boneghi Wrecks
The Solomon Islands was the site of major World War II naval battles. The Boneghis are two WWII Japanese freighters sunk in Guadalcanal. The wrecks are huge, stretching from the surface to the deep. Both are heavily encrusted with corals and teeming with life. Plenty of critters (seahorses, stingrays, gobies) in the surrounding sand slopes, too. Liz’s favourite site.
Twin Tunnels
A spectacular and large seamount topping out at 18m (45’). There are two tunnel entrances at the top of the seamount – enter and descend down to 33m (110’), to exit on the seamount’s side. Plenty of pelagic fish action at the point where the current hits: fusiliers, trevally, mackerel, tuna, sharks.
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Velvia Reef
A small seamount in the middle of a channel. Critter hunter’s nirvana. Crocodilefish, tons of nudi’s (especially Nembrotha kubaryana), and lionfish up the wazoo.
The Ann
A modern wreck close to shore. Was sunk as a house reef for a resort that never happened. The hull is covered with enormous elephant ear sponges. Up in the shallows, near the village, you can get great shots of local children posing for you underwater.
White Beach
This mangrove-lined steep rubble slope was the dumping ground for American military equipment after WWII: sunken pontoons, earth-moving equipment, a jeep, ammunition and vintage bottles. Mantis shrimp, archer fish, mandarinfish and jawfish call this place home. Josh’s favourite critter dive.
Manta Feeding Station
This is a new site that is getting rave reviews. November-December should be perfect timing to dive with these firm favourites.
Marovo Lagoon
Awesome drift dives along stunning sheer walls covered in the largest sea fans you’ve ever seen. This area is only visited on longer trips (like ours). Many villages with carvings for sale in this area.
For more information please visit www.underseaproductions.com
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