Text and photos by Mary L. Peachin and Cameron Azad and Bilikiki Cruises
Vol. 17, No. 5
A dangerous saltwater crocodile had been sighted in Mirror Pond, an underwater cave on Mane, one of the many mangrove atolls in the Russell chain of Solomon Islands. “We do not know the behavior of this man-eating crocodile,” stressed Scott Waring, then divemaster on the Spirit of the Solomons liveaboard diveboat. “When he has been seen, he is usually lying on one of its cave’s ledges. Waring advised that while the crocodile had previously attacked a snorkeler, it had never bothered a scuba diver. He urged “when you follow me through the 250-foot underwater passageway, please leave me plenty of room to escape!”
Waring’s wife, Diane, chimed in, “It’s only a small croc and it isn’t always there.” Confidence bolstered, I decided that I was up to this scuba diving encounter. Perhaps, foolishly, five of us felt that there was “safety in numbers.” Those aluminum tanks on our backs help us feel invincible.
Our intrepid group included divemaster Waring, James Forte, a professional underwater photographer, Zim Gervais, a videographer, Karen Haugen, a nurse, and myself. Haugen and I brought up the rear. We figured in the event of a hasty retreat, it was “last in, first out.”
Following in single file, we threaded the twisting passage at a depth of thirty feet, carefully avoiding stinging fire coral growing on the wall. As we approached the passage to the underwater cave, the tunnel narrowed leaving an open slot extending to the surface of the atoll. Coral-covered mangrove roots gripped the edges of the pond. Branches of felled trees cluttered the surface water’s edge, providing lots of “hiding places” for the crocodile.
Waring immediately sighted the crocodile resting on a ledge. Signaling for our attention, I looked up to see the six-foot man-eating crocodile lunge into the pond, swim across its surface, then climb onto another ledge.
When I surfaced for a better view, the crocodile lunged back into the pond. Adrenaline pumping, hearts pounding, the five of us spontaneously back-finned out of the cave, retracing our path through the passage.
The definition of Diane’s description of “small” was to me an image of a twelve-inch aquarium-size croc. What had I been thinking? Haugen later shared, “my heart was pounding when I made that one-eighty degree flip out of the cave.”
Feeling secure after leaving the passageway, we continued our dive. Descending into deeper depths, we admired two Australian giant cuttlefish camouflaging their bodies to blend with the variety of colors in the magnificent coral reefs of the Solomon Sea.
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Ten years later, in 2010, I returned to the Solomons to dive on the Spirit’s sister ship, the well known and respected MV Bilikiki. When our first dive was at Mirror Pond, it was déjà vu. Just the thought of a second encounter raised my adrenaline. But, this time, there was no croc. It was a stunning check out dive rather than the usual hum-drum shallow dive to check weights and buoyancy.
In 1989, MV Bilikiki was the first full service luxury live aboard dive vessel in the Solomon Islands. She offered private showers and toilets in ten deluxe cabins. The 125-foot boat departed from the city Honiara, on Guadalcanal Island cruising most of the time in the Russell Islands.
Untouched soft and hard corals are home to hundreds of tropical fish and “critters.” Each anemone seemed to have a symbiotic relationship with a different species of clown fish. Lionfish hung under rocks, while in the current schools of neon fusiliers, batfish, bannerfish, damsel, parrotfish, and other fish swam. Blennies, manta shrimp, octopus, cuttlefish, crabs, conchs and other shells guarded entrances to their sandy holes or crevices. Reef sharks, turtles, and occasionally, eagle rays cruised reef walls.
In the midst of this spectacular beauty, which includes many caves, swim-throughs, and interesting underwater terrain lie the sunken remains of the causalities of the Battle of Guadalcanal, one of the largest World War II battlegrounds in the South Pacific.
Our daily schedule included two morning dives, and one around 2:30 PM. We frequently were given the option of making a fourth or fifth dive late afternoon, or after dinner.
The tremendous variety of nocturnal “critters” and gentle drift diving made for some fascinating night dives. Colorful crinoids were feeding as their arms waved in the current. Mantis and other shrimps, lobsters, and crabs crawled out of their crevices onto the sandy bottom. The water temperature was a comfortable 82F.
The Bilikiki makes it a point to make an island visit during each voyage. With permission granted, we received a hearty welcome from the Karumolun village chief. We were also given the opportunity to purchase crafts displayed along orchid-lined paths.
There was a variety of carvings and bowls made from ebony, kerosene, and rosewood. Negotiations were standard fare and included a first and second price. Typically a purchase included a request for additional “trade” items. AA batteries were a hot item, as were shaving razors, combs, and even a pair of socks.
The men followed by the women danced for us. This pre-arranged sing-sing followed a welcome with the chief asking us to stand in a line so the islanders could place flower leis around our necks. We were then escorted to nearby benches for the show. The conclusion of the dancing included the singing of Christian hymns in English.
During our ten-day diving trip, the warm water allowed us to spend as many as fifty hours under the water. Reflecting on the sites and critters at we head back to Honiara, we experienced what has become the tradition of “Popcorn Passage.” Years ago, a bag of popcorn was thrown to some children. The approach of the Bilikiki now brings out many families. Paddling furiously in their dugouts, it is joyous to see their excitement when they catch a bag of popcorn.
Boarding our Air Solomon flight to Nadi, Fiji, all of us shared a very special feeling for the Solomon Islands. The scuba diving was world class, the MV Bilikiki and its crew and operation were superb, the people of the Islands were warm and friendly, and the mangrove islands were beautiful.