Sail-Dive PNG and Solomon Islands

seagoon · #1 (**permalink**) 12-15-2005

1st May 2006 and we are leaving again for PNG and Solomon Islands, staying away for 6 month. Join us in Solomon Islands and PNG for 4 weeks or longer (room for 1 crew form 15-6 to 17-7). Like to do some great diving, WWll war wrecks and fantastik walls and big fish. Or just hang out at small villages, fish, snorkel. see us at www.geocities.com/svseagoon or just google svseagoon

motorboater · #2 (**permalink**) 11-09-2009

Any recent trips to the Solomon Islands?

smackdaddy · #3 (**permalink**) 11-09-2009

I was there for a couple of years. Did a lot of diving around Guadalcanal and Gizo - but no sailing.

He's right about the big walls and big fish. Great place. Lousy food though.

JohnRPollard · #4 (**permalink**) 11-09-2009

Quote:

Originally Posted by smackdaddy

I was there for a couple of years. Did a lot of diving around Guadalcanal and Gizo - but no sailing.

He's right about the big walls and big fish. Great place. Lousy food though.

Did you see any of the big Crocs?

About ten years ago, a woman and her husband pulled in to one of the more remote islands (not sure which) aboard their cruising sailboat at the end of an ocean passage. After getting the anchor down, the husband dove in with mask and snorkel to make sure it was properly set. A croc took him right before her eyes.

Tragic. The sort of stuff nightmares are made of.

smackdaddy · #5 (**permalink**) 11-09-2009

Thankfully no. But I did hear a lot of stories.

Early on, in ignorance, we swam in some of the shorefront rivers that's were perfect chewing grounds for them. Luckily, we were with Solomon Islanders most of the time - and they looked out for us. You just had to understand that a gentle question from them was actually a "Are you freaking crazy!".

tdw · #6 (**permalink**) 11-09-2009

Quote:

Originally Posted by smackdaddy

I was there for a couple of years. Did a lot of diving around Guadalcanal and Gizo - but no sailing.

He's right about the big walls and big fish. Great place. Lousy food though.

I'd love to sail there. Thoroughly enjoyed the place when I was there years ago but didn't get to do any sailing either. SIs are still considered to be off the beaten track so a good place to go if you want to avoid the madding crowds. (I think we've had this conversation before, Smack. Either that or I'm suffering from Deja Vu..again...)

Recent unrest seems to have quietened down but even that was pretty much limited to around Honiara which when I was there was one boring town. You won't miss much by avoiding it. Whether or not it's improved over time I do not know.

As for the food, Smack is right on the money. Good fresh fish of course, sweet potato and paw paw.....not much else. Lime Juice and beer about all there was to drink.

Problem with the SIs is getting there. Uphill all the way from Australia though I'm told that if you head up the east coast of Oz to Thursday Island then across to the Louisiades and on to the Solomons its quite a nice trip. Back to Oz via New Caledonia.

Solomons is also supposedly a good place to sit out the cyclone season, particularly if you are thinking of heading further north, but it would be a very hot and sticky interlude.