SOLOMON DREAMS

We all have dreams. One of mine for years had been to dive the Solomon Islands. But, from the UK, the Solomons are one of the most far-flung dive destinations to reach and I had never been able to justify such a trip. Accessed via Brisbane, which in itself is a 23-hour flight from London, the Solomon Islands are another 3-hour flight further on. It needed an excuse, a reason or some justification to make me go for it. Not much of an excuse as it turned out. Success in a photo competition brought me a prize of a

liveaboard cruise in the Great Barrier Reef. Now that I thought was something - until I learned that it was only a 4-day cruise and I had to make my own way to Cairns. At first I felt inclined to turn down the offer, but then had second thoughts. I had never dived the Great Barrier Reef and at some stage in my diving career I should. Then I realized it as the excuse that I had been looking for. The Solomon Islands are after all just to the Northeast of the Great Barrier Reef. And so it came about; a Grand Tour that took in Papa New Guinea, an extended cruise in the Great Barrier Reef and Coral Sea beyond and a one-week cruise on the M V Bilikiki in the Solomon Islands. Yet, now that many months have passed since my return, it is the time spent in the Solomon Islands that hold the most vivid and rewarding memories.

At one stage of my Grand Tour it seemed that I might have to abandon my journey to the Solomons. Whilst in Australia I received news that a state of emergency had been declared on Guadalcanal Island, the island on which Honiara, the capital of the Solomon Islands, and the International Airport are situated and the M V Bilikiki based. An inter-island conflict, it was being reported, had escalated into a bloody war, many people had been killed, a dive boat shot at and tourists were not allowed to enter the country!

Despite that news I did go, to find that the reality was far from the truth. But first I contacted the Bilikiki office, and I was assured that the media reports had been wildly exaggerated. It was safe to travel! Once in Honiara I visited the British High Commission to establish the facts. A reaction by prominent rural Guadalcanal tribesmen, abetted by politicians, against Malaitians who, since Honiara had been established as the Capital, had moved to Guadalcanal to work and live. It was mainly a land occupation issue. There had been some fighting and a handful of local people killed. The conflict had not reached Honiara or the other islands. British tourists were not being warned against travel to the Solomons but were being advised against venturing into the rural areas of Guadalcanal. By the time I had reached the Solomons the situation even in those rural areas had quietened down. Nevertheless it was an unfortunate situation. Thousands of Malaitians had returned to their native island and some that I spoke to in

Honiara did feel uncomfortable and threatened and were planning to return home.

I had arrived in Honiara three days before the Bilikiki was due to leave. Planned that way so that I could explore the island I was, because of the conflict, confined to the town. A dirty, dusty town with not much to offer the tourist, I spent my time relaxing at my hotel from where across the bay I could see the Bilikiki and her sister boat the Spirit of Solomons at anchor. Late afternoon on the third day the 'tinnie' (the boat's aluminium tender) came to the hotel beach to ferry me across to Bilikiki.

We left the anchorage at sundown. The air was still but the movement of the boat as it slid across the bay created a gentle and welcome breeze. The colour of the sky streaked with rose pink as the light from the sinking sun hit the cloud formations. After a seven-hour overnight passage we arrived at the Russell Islands. We woke up to find ourselves anchored amidst a group of pretty islands set in a mill-pond sea, the silhouettes of the palm trees set against a sky tinged with pink.

I cannot speak too highly of Bilikiki. I rate it as the most enjoyable live-aboard cruise that I have had. A super boat. Spacious, comfortable, well appointed, stable, and very well managed. Not the most luxurious boat that I have been on. No four-star trimmings like scented toiletries, chocolates on the pillow or free bar drinks, but it did give maximum attention to the things that really matter. The on-board operation was managed by Jim Light and Kay Nevan who had been with Bilikiki for ten years. They knew the islands and the people, they knew the dive sites and they are both top-rate photographers. Their aim was to make sure that their guests got to the best dive sites and got the opportunity to maximize their underwater time. No petty diving restrictions. No policing divers. Ample opportunity for 5 dives a day with no imposed dive time. The view was taken that Bilikiki guests are experienced divers who know their limits and know what they want from their dive - so let them get on with it. Good briefings were given at each of the sites, and Jim or Kay would show us any resident 'critters' if asked.

We dived the Russell Island group, Mborokua Island and the Florida Islands. Certainly the best dive locations that I had dived on my Grand Tour. Rugged coastlines often provided cave systems, some with large

chambers where sunlight filtered through the crystal clear water. Sea fans, delicate soft coral, red sea whips and elephant ear sponges decorated the reefs.

Macro marine life was rather difficult to find. With a water temperature of 30°C my theory was that many creatures were going to deeper, cooler depths. Even so, I was finding some most unusual macro life. Of particular interest were tiny little pink and yellow coral hermit crabs (Paguritta sp.) living in colonies in pencil-thin holes in the coral surface. The lack of macro photo opportunities was more than compensated by wide-angle opportunities. Particularly memorable are the dense shoals of jacks and Chevron Barracudas at Barracuda Point, Mborokua Island. An exceptional dive site where we opted to stay

for a full day of five dives. A pinnacle that rises to within five metres of the surface and home not just to the jacks and Chevron Barracudas but also to chub, Yellowtail Barracudas, Napoleon Wrasse and the largest Bumphead Parrotfish that I have ever seen! There was no rest that day. Between dives a False Killer Whale passed by and, when we jumped in the water to snorkel with it, four Short-finned Pilot Whales cruised past. As if that wasn't enough, a Sailfish hung around for a close encounter.

Compared with some dive cruises, where land may not be sighted all week, Bilikiki cruises pass between many beautiful islands. It is a scenic cruise and most mornings we would wake up to the sun rising between the palm trees on a nearby idyllic island - postcard stuff! Opportunities too to step ashore. We visited Ra Ra village on one of the Florida Islands and were entertained by the children singing their island songs.

As a fitting finale to the cruise, in fact to my Grand Tour, Bilikiki made its return journey through the serene waters of the Mboli Passage, a ten-kilometre stretch of water that divides the two main islands of the Florida group. Averaging 300m wide, the passage cuts through lush green wooded slopes, with occasional creeks where saltwater crocodiles are sometimes seen.

On reflection, the journey to get there did not seem so arduous after all and is well worth it when you do arrive. I shall be back. Either as a stand-alone trip, or maybe using it as a stepping stone to explore other island locations such as Fiji and Vanuatu that are in the same ocean area. Current Holidays to THE SOLOMON ISLANDS: 2006

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