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Part 2: DCI and denial - Colourful history of the demystifying dive computers SOLOMON ISLANDS
PM40063683 Display Until September 30,2020 Do freedivers have an advantage fighting COVID-19? Dive Traveller The Solomons PNG Master also known as Taka, seen here in the western province of the seldom- explored Solomon Islands THE COLOURFUL HISTORY OF THE SOLOMON ISLANDS
Words and Photos by Brandon Cole
s the decades of my life aquatic fly by, I have found my interests changing. Evolution is a natural process, after all. Once focused only on critters, now I can also appreciate hulks of historical metal and the artful play of sunbeams dancing in a dark cavern. So too those surface intervals filled with cultural immersion. A recent expedition to the Solomon Islands reinforced my new appreciation that variety is indeed the spice of life. Few dive destinations offer such a Swiss army knife of experiences. The impressions formed both below and above the waves of this storied corner of the South Pacific will resonate within me for quite some time to come. AThe core of our three-week-long adventure was a 10-night “Best of Solomons” cruise on the Solomons PNG Master liveaboard. The island nation spans nearly 900 miles (1448km), and with so much ocean real estate, a floating hotel and mobile dive headquarters is a comfortable, efficient platform for proper exploration of this archipelago, whose one thousand islands are ringed by stunning coral reefs and steeped in war history. Though our voyage began in Honiara, the capital city of the Solomons on the island of Guadalcanal, our splashing commenced in the Russell Group after a seven-hour overnight steam to the west-northwest.
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During our first dive briefing for photogenic truck in 125 feet (38m). pay our respects to the locals. Our eyes on the barracuda. There were Hundreds of knew just what to expect and where. White Beach, I was thrilled to hear There are a number of reefs Ships sank, planes sank, men died. The boat’s crew have forged a special a couple hundred, at least, stacked big eye jacks We planned and executed two dives. Adam, vessel co-cruise director, around the globe named Rainbow bond with Chief Raymond and up in a wall of steel. Envious of aggregating The first was a short drop to 118 feet world was at war, with the Solomon along a sloping throw in, “Don’t poke the bombs!” Reef, many of which fail to dazzle. the people of Karamulon Village, their aerodynamics, I finned for all reef bathed in the (36m) for decorated dartfish, their along with mentions of pink eyed Thankfully, this was not one of Islands caught right in middle of it all caretakers of the vibrant reef we I was worth and moved in, hoping clear blue waters fiery cousins, and tilefish. The next gobies, pygmy seahorses, forklifts, them. This site was bursting with just enjoyed. Everyone—uber for a wallpaper shot, almost filling of the Solomon was an 80-minute photo shooting and jeeps. There’s no better way colour and bustling with activity. cute children, proud, handsome the frame before they shifted into Islands spree at an extraordinary cleaning to start a working holiday than with Rising from deep water to 50 feet dashed about displaying to his harem parents, and distinguished, wizened tornado form and spun around me. station in just 30 feet (9m). Pinktail munitions lying about in the company (15m), the sides of this current- of females like a piscine peacock. oldsters—warmly welcomed us into In my element, though a bit dizzy triggers, snappers, and bignose of cool critters. The promise of swept seamount, especially in the Our group of 14 took advantage their community with song, dance and having gulped half my air, I unicornfish lined up to bare gills for World War II history has become an 80 to 120-foot (24-36m)-range, were of limestone architecture, literally and smiles. It’s easy to see why the admitted defeat and ended my the industrious cleaner wrasses in irresistible lure for me and is certainly thickly overgrown with whips, fans, diving into and through the Russell official nickname of this country is pelagic fantasy, retreating upslope to residence. Bonus prizes hidden in one of many highlights of Solomon soft coral trees, and crinoid clusters Islands at Bat Cave, Mirror Pond, the “Hapi Isles”. chase easier quarry. We later learned Mary’s Bommies included flame Islands diving. White Beach, which in full-spectrum brilliance. Rivers and Leru Cut. Carmen, co-cruise that the ’cuda school is often much angels, bigfin reef squid, and a killer has no beach—it was cryptic of flashing fusiliers streamed past director on Solomons PNG Master, Best fishes deeper. We were lucky with the find—a juvenile masked grouper. military speak meant to confound clouds of pyramid butterflyfish and described Leru Cut, “It’s like a giant Remote and exposed to weather, thermocline being shallower. Fortune the Japanese enemy—was a secret purple anthias. Wrasses, surgeonfish, machete cut right through Leru Mary Island, or Mborokua in the favoured us again at Jack Point, Heart and darkness American supply base. At the end coral trout, and triggerfish hung Island.” Dramatic, indeed; I’d been lingua franca, cannot be visited on where Melissa and I got stuck in a Ten-night itineraries on Solomons of the War, U.S. forces dumped all close to the reef while a squadron of waiting for this signature site my every trip. When the sea gods do traffic jam of bigeye jacks and more PNG Master include Marovo manner of battle paraphernalia into spadefish paraded back and forth entire career. The 5 to 10-foot-wide cooperate, however, you’ll be “hapi” barracuda. Lagoon in the Western Province. the sea rather than shipping it home. above it all. One tank was not enough From huge (1.5-3m) chasm connects jungle to you dived it. Later, anchored securely in a Supersizing your liveaboard cruise Seventy-five years later, my wife here. At Ta Island we photographed planes to ocean floor. With sunrays piercing We were four days into our calm bay without current, Captain beyond the normal week is a wise overgrown fans Melissa and I curiously (and gingerly) seafans that completely dwarfed us downward and the sand rippled voyage and everyone had found Jackson and the dive team opened move. A topside excursion to Peava —these large poked around the bullets, vehicles, and fantastically shaped elephant gorgonian sea bottom glowing turquoise, swimming their sea legs. Good thing, as there the back deck for the afternoon. village, famous for its exquisite and pontoon barges spilled pell- ear sponges seemingly created by fans cover some through the 40-feet-deep (12m) split was a brisk current running when The open gate policy allowed us wood carvings, guarantees at least mell down a steep slope to discover Salvador Dali. They flowed, twisted of the deep was truly a surreal experience. we backrolled into the blue off to mellow out and explore Mary’s one masterpiece from these skilled sunken treasure ranging from and dripped into the abyss. Using walls, making We emerged from the realm of Barracuda Point. Descending quickly Bommies at our own pace, coming craftsmen will later decorate your cunningly camouflaged halimeda our macro camera I managed a photographers shadow back into light, reveling in to 60 feet (18m), some deployed and going from the mother ship home. Half a dozen dive sites in this ghost pipefish in the shallows hard-won image of the spectacular very excited the lively coral garden at Karamulon reef hooks while others held position as we felt. After Carmen the fish region deserve to be in your logbook: to a surprisingly intact and very male Melanesian fairy wrasse as he indeed! Point before stepping ashore to by kicking like mad. All of us had whisperer’s detailed briefing, we Kavachi Corner, Fantastic Fans,
22 Magazine www.divermag.com 23 Dive Traveller Melissa Cole swims above the wreck of a Japanese Zero fighter plane resting in the sand at a depth of 55 feet (16m). Details about the sinking of this Mitsubishi A6M plane from WWII are currently unknown. The propeller and much of the fuselage is overgrown with sponges and corals—baitfish are regularly seen here
and Tohanna, for starters, and most achieve inner peace in silent shadow. The Solomons abruptly on April 7, 1943. During an especially spots on Mbulo Island. Tagio tumas to Adam for timing also offer a air raid by 177 Japanese aircraft, a maze of tunnels Mbulo translates to heart. I could see this submersion perfectly, and the 500-pound (227kg) bomb dropped and caverns, a resemblance from on high with my imaging tips and locations of the pierced by onto the 168-foot (51m)-long drone, but what I loved most was the sweetest setups. sunlight through minesweeper and smashed directly fringing reefs. the topside into the Commanding Officer’s cabin, Tagio tumas (“thank you very History lesson, Pt 1 jungle canopy, exploding below decks and sinking much” in Solomon pijin) to the crew Metalheads and history buffs are some are even the vessel in just four minutes. for more open deck dive freedom drawn to the Central Province’s said to be home Five sailors were killed and seven at Coral Gardens, home to an Florida Islands. Near the town of to occasional seriously wounded. impressive assemblage of healthy Tulagi, we time travelled back to crocodile Japanese and American winged hard coraIs. Reefs like this are rare in 1942 and 1943 when the skies war relics await exploration off today’s world. While I floated in awe above—on this day baby blue with nearby Tanambogo and Ghavutu over the multi-tiered 3D seascape peaceful popcorn clouds—were Islands. A number of Kawanishi H6K of stunning scleractinians, keen- filled with hellfire, a black rain of seaplanes, nicknamed ‘Mavis’ by eyed REEF.org volunteers filled up whistling bombs and shrieking, the Allies, were sunk by US Navy their slates with check marks on a strafing machine gunfire. These very forces while floating at anchor on productive fish hunt, during which seas boiled and seethed. Ships sank, August 7, 1942. An American PBY- they observed scores of species. planes sank, men died. The world 5A Catalina seaplane swims with the Another of Marovo’s shining stars was at war, with the Solomon Islands fishes in 110 feet (33.5m). A patina of is both underwater and underground. caught right in middle of it all. sponges and coral grow over much Spelunkers at heart, rejoice. Nirvana At 130 feet (39.6m) deep we of its metal skin. Its broad wings awaits inside the swim-throughs, circled the imposing deck gun on the are mostly intact, but the massive squeezes, tunnels, chambers, and bow of HMNZS Moa, a New Zealand engines have broken free and now lie pools of Cathedral. Shallow (26 warship whose tour of duty ended on the bottom. feet (8m) max) and with superlative With 31 dives of a lifetime logged, lightshows (picture shimmering a magnificent last supper courtesy of curtains and shifting spotlights in Nirvana awaits inside the swim- culinary wizards Fred and Max, and infinite variety), this maze is the place throughs, squeezes, tunnels, a near tear-jerking farewell song by to take creative cave photography Philip on guitar accompanied by the to the next level. Or simply to chambers, and pools of Cathedral entirety of Solomons PNG Master’s
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Melissa inspects a US military truck from WWII found at 120 feet (36m) off White Beach in the Russell Islands. At the end of the war the US dumped vehicles, ammo, and other materials into the sea at this major supply base
exceptional crew, the liveaboard crowd. Instead we plummeted into a Opposite: A girl are Kiwis with military backgrounds, both sides suffered heavy casualties. sea fight full of ramming and deck-to-deck portion of our working holiday yawning hole on the reef top at Twin in Karamulon told us more about Moa’s place in Months later, American forces retook small arms fire, heroics and surprises, had come to an end. Thankfully Tunnels. Dropping down a dramatic Village in the the pages of the history books. I airfields in the Western Province, and cunning and luck almost impossible to Russell Islands hung on their every word. believe. Americans later recovered secret for Melissa and me, our story had vertical shaft to 120 feet (36.5m), is part of a eventually soldiered on to seize control of another chapter. Our gear would we surprised a school of soldierfish dance and music Imperial strongholds in distant Rabaul and code books from a safe inside the sub remain salt-soaked for ten more days. in the darkness before continuing performanc for History lesson, Pt 2 Bougainville, wrapping up the Solomon that helped decipher encrypted Japanese We returned to Tulagi to meet through a tunnel into the blue along guests of the We followed the story across Iron Islands Campaign. military communications. This intelligence Bob and Yvie Norton, owner/ a sheer wall. When the current Solomons PNG Bottom Sound, which gave us This arc of islands was critical allowed US troops to locate Japanese operators of Raiders Hotel and Dive. is running, this reef swarms with Master. Dive time to reflect on why the Solomon strategically for both Allied forces and Admiral Yamamoto and shoot down his Their boutique hotel specializes shoaling fish. Munda and the Islands are a renowned wreck diving the Japanese Empire. Japan needed to aircraft, killing the famed war leader and in administering aquatherapy to A second jump on HMNZS Moa Agnes Gateway destination. The name of this body block supply lines and communication brilliant strategist, therein dealing the technical and recreational divers, afforded us the opportunity to tour Hotel on New of water speaks volumes. The quality between the United States and its allies Empire a grievous blow. From that point Georgia Island on, the Allies gained and kept the upper wreck and reef afficionados. In no the stern section, where we spied offer yoga before of the reefs in this island nation is in Australia and New Zealand. The Empire time flat, we’d loaded into their an octopus crawling about and a the day’s dive equaled by the number of historic also planned to launch future offensives hand in the Pacific Theater. custom-built aluminum 30-foot lionfish guarding the ship’s windlass activities, while wrecks in its waters. The Solomons throughout the Pacific from the Solomons. With all of this bouncing around inside (9.2m) dive boat and it was back in from which ghostly wire corals the local market held centerstage in the fight for Allied forces knew they must prevail here my head, our 45 minutes surveying the the water to dive back into the past. spiralled. We finished by hovering is a great place supremacy in the Pacific Theatre to stop Japan’s expanding power. 319-foot-long (97m) submarine—from its Revisiting the Japanese ‘flying boat’ over the crater of destruction that to meet the during the Second World War, a fight Troy Shelley of Tulagi Dive in Honiara almost unrecognizable, obliterated bow seaplanes allowed me to create was once the wheelhouse so we friendly locals which raged at sea, on land, and on Guadalcanal gave the briefing for our in 10 feet (3m) to the very recognizable images of the upturned nose of the could pay our respects to the and buy some in the sky. Some 1,365 planes and next dive, a shore entry to the wreck of stern downslope in 98 feet (29m) with dive M5 Mavis and its tail fin covered soldiers fallen but not forgotten. fresh fruit ships, and 38,100 soldiers, perished the Japanese I-1 submarine. Part of the planes, net cutters, rudder, and propeller in wispy black coral bushes. On Back in the hotel over dinner at during the Solomons’ conflict. story was a recap of a tale I had already shaft still intact—will be seared into my the M6 Mavis, we focused on the water’s edge, Bob and Yvie, who It was slow going, bloody work committed to memory, the history of the memory banks for all time. Our follow-up cockpit and its mangled upside plagued by military missteps along Moa. Yes, the very same minesweeper/ splash on the American B-17 bomber plane down wings. If we had proper the way, but the Allies ousted the sub-chaser we dived some 35 miles (56km) nicknamed ‘Bessie the Jap Basher’ was training and gear, we would have The Solomons held centerstage in the well-entrenched Japanese in Tulagi, from here. Working in tandem with its also unforgettable. I saw an artificial reef answered the sirens calling from won a decisive victory in the fierce sister ship HMNZS Kiwi, Moa played a oasis thriving with colourful invertebrates 230 feet (70m) below on the iconic, fight for supremacy in the Pacific naval Battle of Savo Island, and key role in bringing about the end of the and the frenetic energy of orbiting fish bucket list USS Ward, a favourite finally prevailed in a grueling tug-of- War by helping to sink the I-1 submarine shoals. I did not see the eleven crewmen wreck amongst the rebreather Theatre during the Second World War war for Guadalcanal during which on January 29, 1943. It was a nighttime who lost their lives long before mine
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GOOD TO KNOW Getting There: Fly through either Nadi, Fiji (NAN) or Brisbane, Australia (BNE) to Honiara (HIR), the capital city of the Solomon Islands on Guadalcanal Island, connect to smaller locations from there.
When to Go: Diving is year-round in the Solomon Islands. April to November is popular. Daytime topside temperatures average 84˚F (29˚C). Rain showers are possible anytime, with more rainfall December to March.
Dive With: Solomon Islands Dive Expeditions Solomons PNG Master (www.solomonsdiving.com) Raiders Hotel and Dive (www.raidershotel.com) Tulagi Dive (www.tulagidive.com) Dive Munda (www.divemunda.com)
Stay with: in Honiara, www.heritageparkhotel.com.sb and in Munda agneshotelsolomon.com
More Info: www.visitsolomons.com.sb www.flysolomons.com Picture perfect, huge gorgonian sea fans covering Sea temperatures walls in the western province Diving Details: are steady, averaging 82˚F (28˚C). Bring a skin or 3mm full wetsuit depending on your thermal began. But just because I could not your holiday getaway by mixing hapi Divers seek mystery, the American F4U-1 Corsair showed us curious cuttlefish and fortitude. The sun is brutal, so be see them does not mean I was not villages and yoga sessions into a shade under rests in 170 feet (52m). The few endemic whitebonnet anemonefish Seafans there make a photographer sure to cover up or use reef-safe impacted by them. daily menu of superb diving of the some branches precious moments given us to circle living in a terraced garden of pristine sunscreen. Visibility varies from with a healthy weak in the knees, and the cinematic Reading written accounts cannot organic and metallic varieties. Tour it with head dive guide Brian set my branching corals, Skull Island 20 feet (6m) to well over 100 feet hard coral (30m) depending on location. Most prepare you for experiences like the war artifacts museum, participate ecosystem mind racing with burning questions revealed a different side of local laser lightshow shining down reef dives are suitable for beginner these. The weight of history, the in turtle tagging at Tetepare Island, or awaiting below about just what happened to this history when Solomon Islanders and intermediate divers. Some are gravity of its story, takes on profound enjoy doing absolutely nothing on a feared warbird and its nameless pilot. were headhunters. The skulls of beautiful wall. I paused, eyes glassing current-prone and/or exposed, new meaning when you stare into a deserted island. Surface intervals also transported both unlucky victims and venerated over, hesitant to mention Langarana however, and some offer depth for fighter plane’s cockpit, swim around The area’s portfolio of WWII plane us back in time. On Lubaria Island, warrior victors are enshrined at this and Mbebla Mbela. Honestly, I’d those who seek it. Caverns, caves a warship’s gun, or squeeze through wrecks—eight and counting—is where John F. Kennedy and his PT- sacred site. rather keep these all for myself. The and wrecks run the full gamut from the innards of a submarine. world class. My faves are the 109 crew were stationed in the War, seafans there make a photographer shallow and open to true overhead Munda is a must for land-based Dauntless bomber (ask Dive Munda we heard from the island’s caretaker Sharing’s caring weak in the knees, and the cinematic environments requiring advanced dive adventure in the Western owner/operator Belinda Botha for of JFK’s bravery and dedication to One evening, newly-arrived American laser lightshow shining down through A local man training and special gear. Some covered in mud wrecks are well beyond recreational Province. Dive Munda’s enviable the inspirational backstory), the his men after their boat was scuttled guests chatted us up at the sunset the trees…. Melissa saved me, depths. All of the operators location along the south coast of New Japanese Zero (because it’s a cool by a Japanese destroyer not far bar, asking which Munda sites were jumping in with “Ughele Village!” blows a triton trumpet outside mentioned in this article are tech Georgia Island provides easy access kamikaze Zero!), and the Corsair. from here. After a lovely dive at best. Tough question. It’s at least an As Melissa told the tale of our friendly. The very remote location to just about everything. Customize Covered in marine life and cloaked in Mbigo Mbigo, where guide Euna eight-way tie. I took a deep breath cultural immersion on Rendova the village of Rendova Island. of the Solomon Islands means it and answered, “Shark Point, for its Island—the kindness shown us by This remote is prudent to dive conservatively. 100-foot (30.5m)-visibility, 2000-foot Ughele’s residents, their fascinating village offers an Emergency evacuation insurance (601m) plunging wall, uncountable Melanesian kastom culture past and amazing cultural such as DAN is a must. fish schools—midnight snappers, present, the inherited traditions, experience - this barracuda, spadefish—and a handful skills, and customs defining and man reenacting Nearest chamber: Honiara.
of grey reef and whitetip reef sharks. guiding their people—our new the role of a Top Tip: Don’t come to the Macro life excels there as well. dive buddies smiled. They were protector of the village warning Solomon Islands without embracing The storm will pass... Kashi Maru, if you’re drawn to WWII beginning to understand the scope the people and their kastom shipwrecks like I am. The squadron of of the life-changing experiences of appraching danger. Soloman culture. Village visits and cultural fighter planes, of course.” awaiting them below and above Islanders were activities are among the best we’ve Inhale. Certain they would love the waves in the Solomon Islands. headhunters in experienced anywhere. ‘Pack For And when it does, we'll be here to help you plan a rejuvenating and long-overdue dive adventure! Cave of the Kastom Shark, I added I excitedly joined in the account, the not so distant A Purpose’ is an initiative that asks that site. Any dive which begins sharing more hapi memories. past and regularly travellers to bring supplies for with walking through the jungle and Smiling conspiratorially, I even raided other children; pens, pencils, pads etc. flyandsea.com · toll-free 1.888.995.3483 · Vancouver 604.596.2060 · [email protected] www.packforapurpose.org jumping into a black hole is a winner, divulged the names of my secret villages to attack especially when it also features a dive sites, then added a few more. and take trophies
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