La Nina and the Solomons

[reubencahn]

We are considering booking a trip to the Solomons this summer. It looks like the current La Nina event is likely to continue, and I'm wondering what effect it's having on that part of the world. I know the Phillipines have suffered heavy rains and that NOAA's ocean temp charts show increased water temps in the West Pacific, but I'm hoping for some more specific info about how the Solomons, water temps, weather patterns, marine life, have been affected by La Nina.

 

[cbimages]

I'm a regular Solomon Island visitor - usually 2 trips per year to Uepi in the Western Province. Weather that close to the equator is somewhat predictable. More rain November-March (wet season) , usually in the afternoon and often very heavy and then gone as quickly as it came. The other months also have plenty of rain, again generally in the afternoons, but maybe not as much as the "wet" season. For most of the year you get blue morning skies and clouds starting to come up by afternoon.

As far as diving, at least at Uepi, mid year and Xmas is often very much the same, although a bit warmer and more humid over Xmas. On the plus side, the cooling trade winds have generally dropped and the ocean can be like glass for days at a time.

Marine life at Uepi is much the same year round, although the hammerheads are supposed to come around more in mid year with the slightly cooler water - we were there late September/early October last year and saw more hammerheads than ever before.

Take a look at the Uepi web site - www.uepi.com for more info on this very special place.

Feel free to PM me for more info on this special place

 

[vetdiver]

I can't answer this, though all resources I have say that the rainy season runs from Nov - April.

I was just curious if you're booking...we're on the Bilikiki June 8-20, and we can't wait. This will be my first liveaboard experience, the longest dedicated dive trip I've ever taken, and my first dedicated dive-only trip to the Pacific (other than Sea of Cortez, which was a 3-dive-day trip). I could not be more excited and have no idea how I will manage to concentrate at work until June.

 

[gfac]

I will really look forward to hearing about your upcoming experience in the Bilikiki, I am booked with them for mid Aug, so excited...

 

[donnyb]

I can't answer this, though all resources I have say that the rainy season runs from Nov - April.

I was just curious if you're booking...we're on the Bilikiki June 8-20, and we can't wait. This will be my first liveaboard experience, the longest dedicated dive trip I've ever taken, and my first dedicated dive-only trip to the Pacific (other than Sea of Cortez, which was a 3-dive-day trip). I could not be more excited and have no idea how I will manage to concentrate at work until June.

Oh man, you are gonna be ruined for life. Very little will be able to top a trip on the Bilikiki. I have been twice & would go again in a heartbeat. Best tinny (chaseboat) drivers in the business. They have this lime juice drink "bush lime" that is so delicious its addictive, and some wild nuts called nala nuts, very tasty as well. Be sure to bring some US cash, you will be visiting some villages where the wood carvings are world class. Not cheap but very worthwhile. We pack a separate cheapo suitcase with school supplies, art supplies, world map, toothbrushes, soccer balls, and air pump to give to the school/children at the villages.
Say oi! to Monty & Michelle for me!
-Don Brown

 

[vetdiver]

DonnyB- Thanks for the tips - we had heard double D batteries (we've been buying them every time we see a sale), kid's t-shirts, and cash, but I hadn't heard school supplies. Will hit Target or some such!! We had also heard antibiotics to leave with the boat - can you confirm??

We have JUST booked the Nautilus Explorer for 2007 (BC itinerary, requiring us to haul drysuits across the continent), so it will be tough to compare our next liveaboard experience, as the two will be very different...but I am hoping I'll be able to appreciate Micronesia in 2008, as we're going to try to get on the Odyssey...better get on that soon, as I hear it books way over a year in advance...

But back to your comments - it is amazing how the Bilikiki has a small but utterly fiercely loyal following - that (and one of those Bret Gilliam articles from fathoms) is why we chose it over PNG for our first big Pacific trip. Thanks so much for confirming this again and reminding me that I have no business accomplishing anything at work when I can be daydreaming about June...

GFAC - promise to post a trip report when we're back!

 

[donnyb]

DonnyB- Thanks for the tips - we had heard double D batteries (we've been buying them every time we see a sale), kid's t-shirts, and cash, but I hadn't heard school supplies. Will hit Target or some such!! We had also heard antibiotics to leave with the boat - can you confirm??

We have JUST booked the Nautilus Explorer for 2007 (BC itinerary, requiring us to haul drysuits across the continent), so it will be tough to compare our next liveaboard experience, as the two will be very different...but I am hoping I'll be able to appreciate Micronesia in 2008, as we're going to try to get on the Odyssey...better get on that soon, as I hear it books way over a year in advance...

But back to your comments - it is amazing how the Bilikiki has a small but utterly fiercely loyal following - that (and one of those Bret Gilliam articles from fathoms) is why we chose it over PNG for our first big Pacific trip. Thanks so much for confirming this again and reminding me that I have no business accomplishing anything at work when I can be daydreaming about June...

GFAC - promise to post a trip report when we're back!

Antibiotic cream/ ointment is never a bad idea, but was not aware the boat was short of it. Mainly handy for coral scrapes to avoid infection. D-batteries are also good but heavy (think luggage weight penalties). Clothes can be nice, but they do have that available from the charitable organizations. When you arrive in Honiara, if you have time, walk the main drag you will see some shops that sell clothes literally by the bundle. They call them "village paks", and contain an assortment of sizes of basic clothing wrapped up like a bale. Typically this is what a village will purchase with your dollars when you buy a wood carving. The village paks are all donated used clothing. Pretty funny when you arrive at a small village and some old grandmother is wearing a harley t-shirt as a dress.

The thing about the Solomons Liveaboards vs PNG is the Bilikiki has a local crew. Everybody on board is local except the boat managers Monty & Michelle (Aussies).
So things run smoothly and quietly. Its more peaceful. The trip feels mellower, and though the diving is drift diving, similar to most PNG diving, the pace is slower and the water a little less choppy. I can remember multi leveling some drifts along a wall where the reef came up to 5 ft. I would be facing the reef finishing my saftey stop, and just turn around to look up for the tinny. There he was, silently above me smiling down. I remember thinking, awesome service. I never had to pull out my sausage. I never got in the water with the current going in the opposite direction from the briefing. These things happened regularly in PNG.

PNG is has its good points too (muck diving is a bit better) but its typically not so mellow in my experience.

RE BC, are you diving Port Hardy? P.M. me if so. Its my favorite place in the world.

RE the Odyssey: I was on the maiden checkout trip. One of the best run operators ever, and well deserving of their good rep. Best wreck briefings I have ever gotten. Be aware you should get your Nitrox cert if you do not already have it. You will be glad you did.
Aloha