"Dive Expedition 96" a Solomon Islands Travel Page by digiter58

We left Melbourne (Aust) on the 8th and flew into Brisbane to connect with the flight into Honiara on the 9th flying Qantas and Soloman Airlines for 3 weeks of diving on the Islands.
Arriving after an uneventful flight into Honiara the first thing to greet you is the heat, unforgiving and intense, being dressed in late winter clothes it was into the terminal to change into more suitable attire.
Now this was an eye opener . the stench was horrible i dont know if it has improved but it had a lasting effect on our travelling group.
once changed it was onto another plane for the flight to Gizo .
after a couple stops on the way at Seghe and Munda we landed at the Airstrip on the island acroos the harbour from Gizo
which was to be our home for the next 5 days before then flying to Munda for 5 more days and finally rounding off the trip at Tambea
We Stayed at The Dives Lodge in the village at the PT-109 Restaurant in Gizo
then Agnes Lodge in Munda in the New Georgia Island in the Western Province
and finally at The Tambea Beach Resort in Tambea

Arriving we are met by Danny Kennedy who with wife Kerrie runs the dive operation Adventure Sports since 1985
The trip across the harbour in the open low riding dive boat was a blessing from the heat that we were still trying to come to grips with.
The village of Gizo is so unspoilt its like stepping back in time
the people are extremely friendly and all just have this beaming white smile that is just amazing.
The views from the lodge are nothing short of breathtaking the waters so clear and while sitting back enjoying a Solbrew {local beer}at the PT 109 Restaurant we were able to spot a pipefish just cruising past only feet away .
the accomadation was nothing flash but the excitement of the next few days over rode any concerns we had.
the first day diving in gizo was one of the best i have experienced .
We were taken out to Kennedy Island to dive the wall there, a sheer plunging coral reef that teamed with marinelife of every description from nudibranchs the size of your thumb nail to 6' bumphead wrasse.
and corals hard and soft of many color and of course there were Nemo's everywhere :).
After the dive it was lunch cooked by the guides on the island wrapped in palm leaf and washed down with fresh cocnut milk. how fresh . well try from the tree . dont get fresher than that .Catherine and the other non diver joined us out on the island for lunch as well
then it was back into the boat for what was to be my first shark sighting dive.