Trip Report May 2-11, 2024
Our last trip around the Solomons was as lovely as ever even if the weather conditions we encountered along the way were very mixed, from bright sunny days with flat calm seas to some rain and choppy waters - a wild mix of everything. We were joined by 20 diving and snorkelling enthusiasts from the USA, Australia, Russia and the UK.
Everyone had a wonderful time enjoying the stunning marine life. Mary Island and Kicha once again proved a huge hit amongst the divers, with the undersea volcano Kavachi providing the soundtrack to the swirling jacks and barracudas in front of us, while the snorkellers enjoyed the superb coral reef from above. More special sightings included schooling bumphead parrotfish, beautiful nudibranchs, pipefish, barramundi, all kinds of shrimps and of course the ever popular sharks.
Back in the Floridas, we finally spotted some manta rays again from the surface at Devil's Highway, we hadn’t seen them for quite a while. We grabbed the opportunity, drifted over the reef plate in the ripping current, hooked onto the reef and were rewarded with four of these giant beauties feeding right in front of us for almost fifty minutes - what an incredible encounter, up close and personal!! There was a lot of chatter on the dive deck after this dive!
Topside the Solomons didn't fail to impress either. In Marovo Lagoon, a number of unique souvenirs were purchased by our guests at the amazing wood carving market of Peava. The encounters with the local villagers during the frequent floating markets, with all their fresh fruits and vegetables, were equally a delight and many presents were handed out to kids and adults alike.
We would like to thank all our guests for joining us on this latest adventure in the Solomon Islands, we hope to see you all again!
All this was made possible with the help of our amazing crew - tagio tumas guys, you rock!
Best fishes until next time
Tina and Oli
PS: all pics @Ann & Tom Gent